This was fantastic I just picked up a 02 Acura 3.5 RL with 112,000 for 2500. the more I drive this car and check it out I realized what a beautiful car it is.
My friend's mother has a 98 RL bought it brand new The thing has 600,000 miles on it mainly highway miles and it is in immaculate condition, original engine and original transmission key thing she goes to the mechanic that I go to and he's an ex Honda/Acura technician and checked up and service the car multiple times a year and it's been taken very good care of both mechanically and cosmetically these cars are awesome take care of them and service them on a regular basis and they will just run and run and run and run and run and run and run some more also put Michelin tires on them
I drove one of them when my friend was letting me practice my driving. This was 2014 and was 22. Bruh, I fell in love with that car! It was (is) a big body car and I was swerving a lot in the beginning 😅 this and the Acura Legend Coupe went on my collectibles list that day. I want this car! I didn't know that were that problematic though. However, I still want it lol
Everyone needs to listen to what Eric says between 6:35 to 6:43. I sold my 1999 RL when it had 160,000 miles and it was as solid as a rock, very reliable, and very well built. My biggest wish when I had it was for 1 more gear for high speed highway cruising.
I bought one of these in Australia one year ago. (2001 KA9) An excellent vehicle and the best highway cruiser for under 5 grand. Honda made these cars very, very well.
Thank u so much for this review, I'm looking for a car and my mechanic friend found me 2002 Acura RL for $1,000 with 180k miles and I wanted a little info on it and this helped tremendously, thank u
@Bubbles Bubs no I ended up going with another car he found me... 2000 Honda civic 95,000mi $2,000... and he painted it for me and made sure everything was in tip top shape and I love it!!
I drove one just like that. Loved it. My next one was an 06 RL. I’m still driving it. In the mean time I leased a 2108 Genesis G90. I decided not to keep the G90 because I enjoy the RL enough not to justify the lease expense. Not a fan of newer Acura’s. Just can’t get with that beak nose.
I have owned a 2003 RL for the last four years. You definitely are correct about the common issues, it almost seemed you were going over my car ,lol! 214000 miles and runs excellent, though. These cars do last. Eric, dont let this car get too far away, I will be watching your videos even more.
I just bought myself one of these today: 2002 Acura RL with 104k miles in pristine condition. Acura dealership did my PPI and said it had absolutely no fluid leaks whatsoever and was the cleanest RL they’ve ever seen come through their dealership. Paid for the coolant/head gasket leak test & the car passed with flying colors. It needs a little clay bar/waxing TLC by me but I love it. Paid $4,400
Hi Eric, absolutely love your videos! Are you in Cincinnati, Ohio? I’m in the area and I thought I heard you in another video saying you were in Cincy. I’d love to use your shop for my fleet - let me know.
I just bought a 02 Acura Rl Indigo Pearl Blue with 119k miles for .... 1900! And the mechanic mentioned i had to change the rack n Pinion as well. But the steering seems fine.
My 1996 3.5 RL has all these same options minus onstar and homelink, it's crazy how long they kept it basically the same, I bought mine 6 years ago from original owner and just hit 190,000 miles and it's been a smooth driving and very reliable car.
Just got a 2000 RL for $500 had to replace the rack and pinion and the door handle which you helped quite a bit with she runs like a champ otherwise and will serve great
Good cars. Buddy had a 2002 with almost 275k on it, another friend had a 92 Legend with 400 on the clock. Definitely one of the best Hondas of all time.
Eric you are an absolutely GREAT teacher! You give us SO many good informations with great presence and exemples! Seriously you seem to be at the best time of your life and that's inspiring for me! Congrats for all the workmanship involve since first videos !
Very nice old car, it must have been a real beauty when it was new. This may well be the very first car I've seen in your shop that doesn't have hideous corrosion underneath and in the engine bay. Corroded alternator bodies, valve covers, piping, suspension components etc. Every car I've ever seen you work on seems to have corrosion but this one seems free of it. Nice price to buy it for but your friend's lucky he has a mate who's a master Honda tech, I mean, just replacing that seal is 10 hours work...eeek !! Add to that all the other small things that need doing. Still the old girl's doin' okay for 14 years old and even if nothing got done to it beyond making sure it was safe and roadworthy, with a caring owner could still give a lot of good miles.
Omar Siddiqi Typical Lexus elitist. Not everyone wants to drive a Lexus; if we all did, it’d be a boring world to live in. No doubt that Lexus is good, but some drivers prefer looks and/or drive of an Acura or Infiniti, and there are decent well built models that they offer. Let people buy what they want.
My ABS and VSA light is been on for awhile now never figured it out. After watching this video i might try replacing that rear abs sensor and see if it clears it. Awesome video lots of info good joob!
OCTOBER 7TH IS MY BIRTHDAY ERIC. I did my emissions Monday a week ago now got to buy tags.If I was real good at working on cars like you I would do that on my own like you and fix cars and flip them too.That looks like a pretty good car just a few small repairs and it is all good.Those seals of course will take you a while to fix.
The sunglass holder on the roof is a weak spot in the interior as the plastics used in that unit are very fragile. I bought mine with 110,000 miles on it and that was broken. Bought two off eBay, the first one arrived in pieces and the second one arrived with the molded pins broken off. I ended up fixing it by drilling holes and adding screws where the hinges would have been. Apart from the fact that it doesn't have the dampened open/close it used to, it is at least still functional. My wheel still goes up and down, but does not telescope. Not wanting to press my luck, I turned Auto off.
@@GetReal77 they weren’t competitive at all during the time period since they were more or less rebadged 2nd Gen Legends from the early 90s The 2nd gen RL was cutting edge at the time but became long in the tooth since it lasted for 7 years before the RLX came out.
I have a 2004 Acura RL which is in A ONE shape. It has 190,000 miles you can barely hear it running when it’s on. I haven’t had one problem owned it for 3 years. And it rides great!!!!
Got questions about/problems with 99-04 3.5RL? Ask me and I'll try to help. If I can't help I'll let you know. I have a 99 with over 200,000 miles and I fix most problems myself.
You got a better deal than I did. I went to go look at a 2003 Acura RL The price was great and it looked beautiful. That foot deep shine. Then I sat in it, and the drivers seat ended up on the ground with me in it. The entire floor was rusted out and the undercoating and carpet hid the damage. No wonder it was about half the price as most that were on Craigslist.
Hey Eric... Thanks for the video... Just bought one.. Here in Oz they are a legend. Paid 800 for it but engine shot. Have replaced engine from a good donor... And you are right about coolant... 1st engine was shot due to corrosion...
Having the common problem of it just dieing on me and the wouldn't start back up . I really haven't dug deep into it yet , but I do know the feul pump is not running Crank but know start . I know that the had issues with the main feul pump fuse .
Awesome that you're covering this car is have a white one the same year with 145k on it. I was going to get rid of it but following this series may change my mind
back in 1991 my boss told me he was looking for a new car and considering that boxy looking nissan deluxe sedan. I told him to buy the legend instead. He did and was always very happy with it.
Hi Eric nice pick up. I own a 1995 Acura Legend LS Coupe 6spd manual. It has 360,000 miles on it. It is definitely how you maintain it. A lot of people swap out the 3.2(If the head gasket goes) for the 3.5 in the RL. Luckily I perform all my own maintenance. Great videos BTW.
it's not a hard fix check out the forums online, the problem is you cant buy the plastic gear that breaks without buying the whole steering column. Luckily I found an RL at the wreckers that still had the column intact, just pulled it out took me a few hours to fix it.
Looks like a pretty nice car, but having all of those fancy things just makes me think of the pain they can cause when you gotta fix them. Can't wait for the new videos!
Yes, but the nice thing about this location of the port is if you have to monitor something while driving, you just stick it on the passenger seat rather than have it sitting on the floor between your feet.
Tool0GT92 Yeah, my wife smokes in my Accord, SO flippin embarassing when I access the odbii port or have a tech do it and its full of freaking ash and cig butts. What were they thinking?!?!
I have a 2000 Rl. Bought it for $5000 w/82,500miles on it 10yrs ago, have 210,000miles on it. Do timing belt scheduled factory maintenance. Runs like new. Best car I've ever owned ( of 20+)hands down . 👊👍
Interesting fact - the Honda Legend was also built in the UK by Rover as the 800 series (was a partership), and for a limited time, these were sold in the US as Sterling brand. Only the top models with the V6 had the Honda engine, the 'lesser' models had 2.0 litre 16V Injected engines and also a Turbo version. They also later had a hatchback design of the original platform.
Such a wonderful car. I used to laugh at a friend of mine's family's car buying habits because they were so stuck on 1977-90 Chevy Impala/Caprices that they would travel far and wide to find good, low mileage examples when their old ones would get long in the tooth. I have to say that I could easily become that person with RL's. Mine has 148,000 miles on it and has been meticulously maintained, however I still scour the internet for a low mileage example to have on reserve. Occasionally you will see one with something like 65,000 miles on it, but they still bring decent money.
I have the 1999 version with the metal flake black paint job. I have found that every thing plastic is breaking. All the window regulators plastic bits snapped inside the doors and dropped the glass into the door after 2 Arizona summers. All the interior plastic parts like the inside are cheep plastic. For instance the cheep plastic door handles just fall apart in my hands. Not a car for hot environments. I'd trade this for another vehicle in a hot second. Come to think of it, I need a van....LOL
That's kind of the problem. Seeing Honda after Honda after Honda after fucking Honda starts to get old. That's kinda part of why I don't really watch repair videos anymore. I'm sick to death and tired of the endless Honda repairs.
Well most people who go to him have Honda and Acura products. They know he used to be a Acura tech, so they trust him to know his work. If you're tired of seeing the repair videos on Hondas/Acuras he does then stop watching him.
Eric, where is the Timing belt video for this car? I have an 02 RL I need to do this and the water pump now, I have been asking for years, Eric please help. Thank you.
I had an stuck abs sensor once on a ford. I just torched the thing out. It was plastic so it just melted. Cleaned the hole out and installed the new one.
Replacing dead RL battery and alarm is going off? Hook up battery (now with horn honking) and Turn key in driver's door lock to silence it (turn key left or right until it stops). May need to reprogram key fobs ...but keys will work manually.
That switch said "Auto On" meaning that was for automatic steering wheels adjustment. If you listen closely, you can hear what sounds like the electric motor running when he's toggling the switch.
Hello Eric, great to see your looking to go in depth into these cars. Here in Australia, I have a 91 Legend, first year of the 3.2 litre (2nd Generation) version, effectively the same chassis as the one your selling to your friend. Will be insightful what you produce. I'm particularly interested in the EGR and head gasket issues, from a preventative point of view. Fortunately my saloon was one owner till last year and very well cared for.
Apparently, the problematic EGR mode (lean, advanced timing to compensate EGR yet the EGR is blocked which the ECU doesn't know) is switched off in Australian ECUs.
At 3:51 you mention that the steering column doesn't work but looks like the switch is set to the off position, don't know if that has anything to do with it.
not sure about this specific vehicle but with my 2002 Chevy Avalanche, the onstar functionality is no longer working, to get it working i have to purchase a new rear view mirror since they changed something around 2005 i think. last i checked that mirror cost 500 dollars and does not include the subscription fee.
When I read the updated TOS that came out about 2010 or so, I went out to my wife's Saturn, found the OnStar brain, unhooked it, and got it the hell out from under her dash.
If you read it, even if you are NOT a subscriber, they can not only track your every move, but they can also literally *listen* to your conversations. It's a total Nazi box.
I have a 96 rl I love the car I have worked on the car and it has Ben won of the is easyest cars I've ever worked on I have replased the head gaskits, put bigger cams from a type 2 legend, also the intake manifold and forged pistons. I am planing to pro charge it and I think it can handal it
Me, too. EricTheCarGuy here. Also known as ETCG1 on this here channel cause I'm wearing the hat. I should buy an ETCG1 hat. Hello, folks! You're watching ShopTalkWithJason. Also known as ETCG1 Because I'm wearing his hat. Self-five!
It's so funny, my friend has a 1998 RL and it has EVERY SINGLE common issue you said. It has 251k miles on it and was running fine but unfortunately just seemed to throw a rod the other day. Car was sitting for two years and she drove it about 1,000 miles without changing the oil that has probably been in it closer to 3 years. Car started shuttering and making a loud clanking noise and had a blinking check engine light. R.I.P potentially hahaha. The car means everything to her too because it was her grandfathers car and he wanted her to have it and he was in the process of fixing and unfortunately passed away.
Brandyn Fowler I bought my 98 rl with 150,000 miles on it only issues was 2 windows motors were out and paid 3,000 for it. Been about 3 years I’ve had it now and so far I’ve only had the egr and the gears in the steering wheel adjustments mess up.
A Mercedes that ISN'T a royal pain in the ass to work on? Yeah, right. And look, there's a unicorn! And over there's a cuddly Dementor! Go give him a kiss!
Not even close. This car is built like a Little Tykes toy. All Honda's are. German cars are built with fine materials and attention to detail. Not to mention they are assembled like tanks.
thanks for the greetings eric, it's my birthday! hehe I just installed my new tomei UEL headers yesterday on my Toyota 86 aero. and paired with the tomei 60r titanium straight-pipe it sounds wicked! happy birthday tomei!!!
I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on that. www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/common-problems-pattern-failures/50011-1999-03-acura-tl-s-and-cl-s-pattern-failurers?limitstart=0
Thanks! the only real problem i see with my TL is the O2 sensor from codes P0131, 0135 related to the same sensor, im getting very poor gas millage, about 9 on the city not the same on the highway where i get a fairly decent mileage. despite all the bad things on this model and year this car is a dream it also falls into the Reliable PoS category for me.
Holy smokes! Only $2,800? I wonder what you plan on flipping it for because a car like that even with the minor issues that it has and the mileage will still fetch at least $7,500 here in California.
No way. In Northern California RL's of this age would be between 4-5K. Nowhere near 7K unless it's newer model. I'm looking at a clean 2002 with 165K on Craigslist for $4300 and a 2005 with 150K for 5k.
Just bought a 2002 in Michigan with 116k miles for $4,700, inside, outside, under the car, and the engine are all in pristine condition, worried that it is too good lol we'll see!
I’m getting one. Nice video! Can you tell me if I should stay away from buying one if the engine light is on due to carbon filter and SRS light is on? Really looking forward to getting me one of this.
I wouldn't. Mainly due to the SRS issue. The owner may tell you it's a small sensor or something simple when in reality it can easily cost over $700 to diagnose and repair properly.
"10 hours to replace the pinion seal." Did you hear that loud pop just then? That was my last brain cell detonating. Raaage!! LOL Looks fairly clean for its age! Couple little cosmetic foibles here and there, but nothing too major. Any time I'm doing a head gasket, I like to do a bit of research into the engine and find out if it'll handle a thinner MLS-type gasket. A tiny little bump in compression ratio can make the car a bit more fun! Plus the longevity if installed properly. :D
Eric, if the music is the only problem of the time-lapse timing belt replacement video, why not take a piece of music from UA-cam's free-to-use audio library instead? Or does it for some reason _have_ to be the music you initially chose for it?
Hey Eric well done with the video. I would not be the only one saying this, but please do more of these about other cars and popular cars as well. and do them when ever you get a car rolled in for an oil change even just to show us which cars are shit and which ones are gold. I loved the way the video flowed and you did a fantastic job with narrating it I guess you would say. perfect information not to much and no to little just perfect video. keep them comming. and I'm getting frustrated waiting on a damn pikachu. when I could go find one. your making me not even care about the fairmony, I mean it's only "fair" to post the videos already. lol haha
Is it me, or the rear hand rest had more than a cup holder, IE a small box where you could keep stuff? I've only seen this car model once, an imported one (to EU).
Hi Erick, first off let me say how awesome I find your channel! Your tutorials are well made and very detailed. With that being said, my aunt has the 97' RL with an awful transmission leak. Initially I thought it was a bad seal between the Transmission and Torque Converter, but after watching this video it appears I may be wrong. When warmed up, Transmission fluid pours from the area you pointed to @ 10:34. With the help of a relative, we would like to take care of this for her. Did you ever get around to tackling that leak and could you tell me the best way to go about this? Thanks much and keep doing that you're doing!
Agreed...but for the higher end luxury sedans..they should have went RWD...look at the Lexus and Infinity..hard to justify spending over 35k for FWD..they do have AWD but on the upper end models..still love the brand though
This was fantastic I just picked up a 02 Acura 3.5 RL with 112,000 for 2500. the more I drive this car and check it out I realized what a beautiful car it is.
got mine for 1600 ! 135000 miles. 1997, white, and drives great.
My friend's mother has a 98 RL bought it brand new The thing has 600,000 miles on it mainly highway miles and it is in immaculate condition, original engine and original transmission key thing she goes to the mechanic that I go to and he's an ex Honda/Acura technician and checked up and service the car multiple times a year and it's been taken very good care of both mechanically and cosmetically these cars are awesome take care of them and service them on a regular basis and they will just run and run and run and run and run and run and run some more also put Michelin tires on them
I drove one of them when my friend was letting me practice my driving. This was 2014 and was 22. Bruh, I fell in love with that car! It was (is) a big body car and I was swerving a lot in the beginning 😅 this and the Acura Legend Coupe went on my collectibles list that day. I want this car! I didn't know that were that problematic though. However, I still want it lol
Your walkthru makes me realize why I don't like used cars. So much stuff has gone missing. At least it still has its engine cover.
Everyone needs to listen to what Eric says between 6:35 to 6:43. I sold my 1999 RL when it had 160,000 miles and it was as solid as a rock, very reliable, and very well built. My biggest wish when I had it was for 1 more gear for high speed highway cruising.
I've been seriously considering a 98 RL. The crappy gas mileage and having to use premium fuel have been a couple of my sticking points though.
phiksit As long as you don't hot rod or carry heavy loads up steep hills, you do not need premium fuel. It will run fine on regular.
Thanks! That's good to know. Been trying to decide on a good used car, and keep coming back to the RL based on it's reported reliability.
I bought one of these in Australia one year ago. (2001 KA9) An excellent vehicle and the best highway cruiser for under 5 grand. Honda made these cars very, very well.
Thank u so much for this review, I'm looking for a car and my mechanic friend found me 2002 Acura RL for $1,000 with 180k miles and I wanted a little info on it and this helped tremendously, thank u
@Bubbles Bubs no I ended up going with another car he found me... 2000 Honda civic 95,000mi $2,000... and he painted it for me and made sure everything was in tip top shape and I love it!!
@@jgirl345 Make sure you have an aftermarket alarm on that 2000 Honda Civic. Thieves still like stealing those Honda Civics
I drove one just like that. Loved it. My next one was an 06 RL. I’m still driving it. In the mean time I leased a 2108 Genesis G90. I decided not to keep the G90 because I enjoy the RL enough not to justify the lease expense. Not a fan of newer Acura’s. Just can’t get with that beak nose.
I have owned a 2003 RL for the last four years. You definitely are correct about the common issues, it almost seemed you were going over my car ,lol! 214000 miles and runs excellent, though. These cars do last. Eric, dont let this car get too far away, I will be watching your videos even more.
I have a 1997 Acura RL and I love it. This should be a good series to watch
These hondas had as good or better spec than mercedes of their day, the thought that they put into them was really apparent.
Glad you mentioned the OBD2 location. It’ll help others. I did a 10 second video on the MAP sensor location, couldn’t find it elsewhere.
I just bought myself one of these today: 2002 Acura RL with 104k miles in pristine condition. Acura dealership did my PPI and said it had absolutely no fluid leaks whatsoever and was the cleanest RL they’ve ever seen come through their dealership. Paid for the coolant/head gasket leak test & the car passed with flying colors. It needs a little clay bar/waxing TLC by me but I love it. Paid $4,400
Hi Eric, absolutely love your videos! Are you in Cincinnati, Ohio? I’m in the area and I thought I heard you in another video saying you were in Cincy. I’d love to use your shop for my fleet - let me know.
I get one on Monday
I just bought a 02 Acura Rl Indigo Pearl Blue with 119k miles for .... 1900! And the mechanic mentioned i had to change the rack n Pinion as well. But the steering seems fine.
My 1996 3.5 RL has all these same options minus onstar and homelink, it's crazy how long they kept it basically the same, I bought mine 6 years ago from original owner and just hit 190,000 miles and it's been a smooth driving and very reliable car.
I remember my uncle bought a 1996 RL when it was new. It was indeed a great car for it's time.
Just got a 2000 RL for $500 had to replace the rack and pinion and the door handle which you helped quite a bit with she runs like a champ otherwise and will serve great
Good cars. Buddy had a 2002 with almost 275k on it, another friend had a 92 Legend with 400 on the clock. Definitely one of the best Hondas of all time.
Eric you are an absolutely GREAT teacher! You give us SO many good informations with great presence and exemples! Seriously you seem to be at the best time of your life and that's inspiring for me! Congrats for all the workmanship involve since first videos !
Thank you!
Very nice old car, it must have been a real beauty when it was new. This may well be the very first car I've seen in your shop that doesn't have hideous corrosion
underneath and in the engine bay. Corroded alternator bodies, valve covers, piping, suspension components etc. Every car I've ever seen you work on seems to have corrosion but this one seems free of it. Nice price to buy it for but your friend's lucky he has a mate who's a master Honda tech, I mean, just replacing that seal is 10 hours work...eeek !! Add to that all the other small things that need doing.
Still the old girl's doin' okay for 14 years old and even if nothing got done to it beyond making sure it was safe and roadworthy, with a caring owner could still give a lot of good miles.
One of the few benefits of waking up at 5:30 on a Monday. Thanks Eric!
I'm super excited to see ALL THE NEW VIDEOS WITH THIS CAR!!!!!!!
Now I want an Acura RL.
Get an LS430 from 2003 or later. You will love it more.
I love my 2000 rl
Omar Siddiqi Typical Lexus elitist. Not everyone wants to drive a Lexus; if we all did, it’d be a boring world to live in. No doubt that Lexus is good, but some drivers prefer looks and/or drive of an Acura or Infiniti, and there are decent well built models that they offer.
Let people buy what they want.
My ABS and VSA light is been on for awhile now never figured it out. After watching this video i might try replacing that rear abs sensor and see if it clears it.
Awesome video lots of info good joob!
OCTOBER 7TH IS MY BIRTHDAY ERIC. I did my emissions Monday a week ago now got to buy tags.If I was real good at working on cars like you I would do that on my own like you and fix cars and flip them too.That looks like a pretty good car just a few small repairs and it is all good.Those seals of course will take you a while to fix.
This is the car my dad drove during my formative years in life- a lot of nostalgia right here...
The sunglass holder on the roof is a weak spot in the interior as the plastics used in that unit are very fragile. I bought mine with 110,000 miles on it and that was broken. Bought two off eBay, the first one arrived in pieces and the second one arrived with the molded pins broken off. I ended up fixing it by drilling holes and adding screws where the hinges would have been. Apart from the fact that it doesn't have the dampened open/close it used to, it is at least still functional. My wheel still goes up and down, but does not telescope. Not wanting to press my luck, I turned Auto off.
That's why the 2004 Acura 3.5RL is the best one to get. They got it right on the final year of the 3.5RL.
The best RL's were the 2005-2008. They were the only Acura's that could compare to a mid range Mercedes or Audi's at the time.
@@GetReal77 they weren’t competitive at all during the time period since they were more or less rebadged 2nd Gen Legends from the early 90s The 2nd gen RL was cutting edge at the time but became long in the tooth since it lasted for 7 years before the RLX came out.
I have a 2004 Acura RL which is in A ONE shape. It has 190,000 miles you can barely hear it running when it’s on. I haven’t had one problem owned it for 3 years. And it rides great!!!!
Got questions about/problems with 99-04 3.5RL? Ask me and I'll try to help. If I can't help I'll let you know. I have a 99 with over 200,000 miles and I fix most problems myself.
Just putchased a '00, THIS CAR IS SOLID. AND QUICK. I LOVE IT.
Nice and you're the best guy to work on 'em!
You got a better deal than I did. I went to go look at a 2003 Acura RL The price was great and it looked beautiful. That foot deep shine. Then I sat in it, and the drivers seat ended up on the ground with me in it. The entire floor was rusted out and the undercoating and carpet hid the damage. No wonder it was about half the price as most that were on Craigslist.
Hey Eric... Thanks for the video... Just bought one.. Here in Oz they are a legend. Paid 800 for it but engine shot. Have replaced engine from a good donor... And you are right about coolant... 1st engine was shot due to corrosion...
I prefer the looks of the legend personally, but the RL is a beautiful as well
Good video. Eric obviously knows his Acura’s. Wish I had a mechanic like him local because I’d definitely use him to dial in my TL.
Having the common problem of it just dieing on me and the wouldn't start back up . I really haven't dug deep into it yet , but I do know the feul pump is not running Crank but know start . I know that the had issues with the main feul pump fuse .
Awesome that you're covering this car is have a white one the same year with 145k on it. I was going to get rid of it but following this series may change my mind
I just bought my grandmother's 02 RL and it had 70k miles on it!
That car will last forever if you maintain it
Looking at that drivetrain gives me the chills.
EGR flow right on the money. I did it without removing much. Man it was clogged.
I have a 2002 I35 its cool to see what was on the market at the time
Woo! I have this car and mine is a 1999. I bought it from a friend for $1,000 when it had 195,000 miles
Amazing how similar the feature set is for this class of vehicle.
back in 1991 my boss told me he was looking for a new car and considering that boxy looking nissan deluxe sedan. I told him to buy the legend instead. He did and was always very happy with it.
I have one. Bought it was 115k. It has 246k now. Great car. My other vehicle is a 98 Lexus LX470 with 256k. Great suv.
Hi Eric nice pick up. I own a 1995 Acura Legend LS Coupe 6spd manual. It has 360,000 miles on it. It is definitely how you maintain it. A lot of people swap out the 3.2(If the head gasket goes) for the 3.5 in the RL. Luckily I perform all my own maintenance. Great videos BTW.
Woohoo! Looking forward to the new videos on the Acura flip.
It's like a quality time portal... Awesome car!
Are you going to show how to fix the steering wheel adjusting problem I have an rl with same problem
it's not a hard fix check out the forums online, the problem is you cant buy the plastic gear that breaks without buying the whole steering column. Luckily I found an RL at the wreckers that still had the column intact, just pulled it out took me a few hours to fix it.
Looks like a pretty nice car, but having all of those fancy things just makes me think of the pain they can cause when you gotta fix them.
Can't wait for the new videos!
"Ok guys, I'm gonna check the codes in this RL"
......Three hours later..."Where is the freaking ODII port!!!!"
You spying on me while I'm at work? That's exactly what would happen to me
And when you find it you manage to dump all the ash and gunk from the ash tray straight down into the port. :-)
Yes, but the nice thing about this location of the port is if you have to monitor something while driving, you just stick it on the passenger seat rather than have it sitting on the floor between your feet.
With a GM Tech2 complete with CANdi module, somebody in the back seat of a Tahoe can monitor it.
Tool0GT92 Yeah, my wife smokes in my Accord, SO flippin embarassing when I access the odbii port or have a tech do it and its full of freaking ash and cig butts. What were they thinking?!?!
I have a 2000 Rl. Bought it for $5000 w/82,500miles on it 10yrs ago, have 210,000miles on it. Do timing belt scheduled factory maintenance. Runs like new. Best car I've ever owned ( of 20+)hands down . 👊👍
How often are you getting the timing belt done on these vehicles?
@@dashcamjourney4599 I've done the factory scheduled timing belt service twice. @100,000 and 200,000. I have 227,000 now. Engine is quiet as new.
Interesting fact - the Honda Legend was also built in the UK by Rover as the 800 series (was a partership), and for a limited time, these were sold in the US as Sterling brand. Only the top models with the V6 had the Honda engine, the 'lesser' models had 2.0 litre 16V Injected engines and also a Turbo version. They also later had a hatchback design of the original platform.
I actually worked on one of those once. They changed all the fastener sizes. Some were metric and some were imperial. Weird.
Such a wonderful car. I used to laugh at a friend of mine's family's car buying habits because they were so stuck on 1977-90 Chevy Impala/Caprices that they would travel far and wide to find good, low mileage examples when their old ones would get long in the tooth. I have to say that I could easily become that person with RL's. Mine has 148,000 miles on it and has been meticulously maintained, however I still scour the internet for a low mileage example to have on reserve. Occasionally you will see one with something like 65,000 miles on it, but they still bring decent money.
my 2000 a4 and 2000 a6 has cassette.. pretty neat from time to time to drop in an old cassette
I hope these videos come after the Fairmont videos are seen!
I love my '99 Legend (Acura RL)
I have the 1999 version with the metal flake black paint job. I have found that every thing plastic is breaking. All the window regulators plastic bits snapped inside the doors and dropped the glass into the door after 2 Arizona summers. All the interior plastic parts like the inside are cheep plastic. For instance the cheep plastic door handles just fall apart in my hands. Not a car for hot environments. I'd trade this for another vehicle in a hot second. Come to think of it, I need a van....LOL
I like your channel, very informative. We are actually looking at a 2002 Acura RL with 98K miles.
ETCG is addicted to Hondas/Acuras
He used to work for them.
That's kind of the problem. Seeing Honda after Honda after Honda after fucking Honda starts to get old.
That's kinda part of why I don't really watch repair videos anymore. I'm sick to death and tired of the endless Honda repairs.
ShopTalkWithJason then don't watch him
Well most people who go to him have Honda and Acura products. They know he used to be a Acura tech, so they trust him to know his work. If you're tired of seeing the repair videos on Hondas/Acuras he does then stop watching him.
It’s his specialty! Also, I’m a vegan....
I'm interested in flipping cars in my next life so this could be a cool series. It looks to be a nice car. Have fun with it Eric.
Eric, where is the Timing belt video for this car? I have an 02 RL I need to do this and the water pump now, I have been asking for years, Eric please help. Thank you.
I never produced a step by step timing belt replacement video for this engine. Also, I sold this car almost 2 years ago now. Sorry.
@@ETCG1 Thanks.
I had an stuck abs sensor once on a ford. I just torched the thing out. It was plastic so it just melted. Cleaned the hole out and installed the new one.
Replacing dead RL battery and alarm is going off? Hook up battery (now with horn honking) and Turn key in driver's door lock to silence it (turn key left or right until it stops). May need to reprogram key fobs ...but keys will work manually.
Anyone else notice the steering wheel adjuster was switched off when he tried to use it?
The on-off switch is for the auto-move the steering wheel out of the way when I remove the key feature. The four-way switch should work all the time.
That switch said "Auto On" meaning that was for automatic steering wheels adjustment. If you listen closely, you can hear what sounds like the electric motor running when he's toggling the switch.
Hello Eric, great to see your looking to go in depth into these cars. Here in Australia, I have a 91 Legend, first year of the 3.2 litre (2nd Generation) version, effectively the same chassis as the one your selling to your friend. Will be insightful what you produce. I'm particularly interested in the EGR and head gasket issues, from a preventative point of view. Fortunately my saloon was one owner till last year and very well cared for.
Apparently, the problematic EGR mode (lean, advanced timing to compensate EGR yet the EGR is blocked which the ECU doesn't know) is switched off in Australian ECUs.
At 3:51 you mention that the steering column doesn't work but looks like the switch is set to the off position, don't know if that has anything to do with it.
It's turned off because if you try and use it the motors bind and make a heck of a noise.
I just got an 2004 it has 170,000 drives great however I'm spending about 2k in timing and all maintenance valuable info 👍🏼
I bought one this passed January with 171k miles and she runs great
NICE! I've always wanted one. Hard to find in decent shape though. Congrats man!
Or with low mileage, they always have like 200k
I have a 2002 rl with 40k miles
Mason McDonald i know where 2 are mint with under 70k
My 98 has almost 300k miles and the thing runs like a champ lmfao
not sure about this specific vehicle but with my 2002 Chevy Avalanche, the onstar functionality is no longer working, to get it working i have to purchase a new rear view mirror since they changed something around 2005 i think. last i checked that mirror cost 500 dollars and does not include the subscription fee.
I think it was still analog back in those years and switched to digital
correct
When I read the updated TOS that came out about 2010 or so, I went out to my wife's Saturn, found the OnStar brain, unhooked it, and got it the hell out from under her dash.
care to elaborate what was in the TOS that made you do that?
If you read it, even if you are NOT a subscriber, they can not only track your every move, but they can also literally *listen* to your conversations. It's a total Nazi box.
Great video 👍 sir. Just bought one for my wife. This should help.
I have a 96 rl I love the car I have worked on the car and it has Ben won of the is easyest cars I've ever worked on I have replased the head gaskits, put bigger cams from a type 2 legend, also the intake manifold and forged pistons. I am planing to pro charge it and I think it can handal it
I miss "The Hat" intro to your ETCG1 videos. =/ Always gave me a chuckle.
Same
Me, too.
EricTheCarGuy here. Also known as ETCG1 on this here channel cause I'm wearing the hat.
I should buy an ETCG1 hat.
Hello, folks! You're watching ShopTalkWithJason. Also known as ETCG1 Because I'm wearing his hat.
Self-five!
ShopTalkWithJason You'd be an imposter wearing an ETCG1 hat.
That's the joke.
And I'm not actually going to do it.
Wear a hat with another dude's name on it??
That would be really weird...
ShopTalkWithJason :D
It's so funny, my friend has a 1998 RL and it has EVERY SINGLE common issue you said. It has 251k miles on it and was running fine but unfortunately just seemed to throw a rod the other day. Car was sitting for two years and she drove it about 1,000 miles without changing the oil that has probably been in it closer to 3 years. Car started shuttering and making a loud clanking noise and had a blinking check engine light. R.I.P potentially hahaha. The car means everything to her too because it was her grandfathers car and he wanted her to have it and he was in the process of fixing and unfortunately passed away.
Brandyn Fowler I bought my 98 rl with 150,000 miles on it only issues was 2 windows motors were out and paid 3,000 for it. Been about 3 years I’ve had it now and so far I’ve only had the egr and the gears in the steering wheel adjustments mess up.
Getting an 02 RL tomorrow, went to check it out today and it had a bad valve cover gasket. Owner changed it and tada!
Looks like a small Mercedes , but probably easier and cheaper to repair .
Actually it is a pretty close styling copy of a Lexus LS of that vintage. I had a 1995 LS which was almost identical to this inside.
A Mercedes that ISN'T a royal pain in the ass to work on?
Yeah, right. And look, there's a unicorn! And over there's a cuddly Dementor! Go give him a kiss!
Pre-2000 Mercedes are actually very easy to work on, and never break unlike your Japanese tin cans.
Very true. Pre-2000 German cars were very reliable... Then they did a complete 180. Honda and Toyota aren't what they used to be either...
Not even close. This car is built like a Little Tykes toy. All Honda's are. German cars are built with fine materials and attention to detail. Not to mention they are assembled like tanks.
thanks for the greetings eric,
it's my birthday! hehe
I just installed my new tomei UEL headers yesterday on my Toyota 86 aero.
and paired with the tomei 60r titanium straight-pipe it sounds wicked!
happy birthday tomei!!!
Happy birthday!
Eric, i have a 2001 TL, which in my opinion it shares many things with this RL, hope to see more videos on this and that they can be used on my TL.
I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on that. www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/common-problems-pattern-failures/50011-1999-03-acura-tl-s-and-cl-s-pattern-failurers?limitstart=0
Thanks! the only real problem i see with my TL is the O2 sensor from codes P0131, 0135 related to the same sensor, im getting very poor gas millage, about 9 on the city not the same on the highway where i get a fairly decent mileage. despite all the bad things on this model and year this car is a dream it also falls into the Reliable PoS category for me.
Looking forward to your repair videos on this car!
You'll get one Friday.
My neighbor has that car in white and I love it. The engine sounds really nice. nice tough v6
Actually uploaded on my birthday!
Always throws me off to see that GM design rear view mirror in the car.
Gotta love how much Honda shares between models. Seeing lots of 6G Accord (and same era TL) looking parts. Gives me bad ideas.
Holy smokes! Only $2,800? I wonder what you plan on flipping it for because a car like that even with the minor issues that it has and the mileage will still fetch at least $7,500 here in California.
No way. In Northern California RL's of this age would be between 4-5K. Nowhere near 7K unless it's newer model. I'm looking at a clean 2002 with 165K on Craigslist for $4300 and a 2005 with 150K for 5k.
Just bought a 2002 in Michigan with 116k miles for $4,700, inside, outside, under the car, and the engine are all in pristine condition, worried that it is too good lol we'll see!
I bought mine a few years too soon. In 2014, my 2004 with 40k miles was closer to $11k. Now it's worth half that, haha!
Got mine for $1600 With 130000 miles. All original
Randall C I just got a the 2004 rl I fucking love it rides like a true luxury car
Should I buy a 03 cl type s 6 speed with 180k on it?
One owner really nice condition but they want 5k
Love the video. Eric..you need to get yourself a Legend Type II LS coupe
(real wood dash trim) and a GS 6-speed Sedan.
I've wanted one of those for years.
I’m getting one. Nice video! Can you tell me if I should stay away from buying one if the engine light is on due to carbon filter and SRS light is on? Really looking forward to getting me one of this.
I wouldn't. Mainly due to the SRS issue. The owner may tell you it's a small sensor or something simple when in reality it can easily cost over $700 to diagnose and repair properly.
Yup - hate that OBD placement, there's always a bunch of crap in the ashtray
Hey Eric it's a J35, the NSX is based of the C32 found in the Legend. The J35 is now found in just about every, post 1998 V6 Honda. :D
nope, this is still a C series. they didn't go J series until the kb1 05 RL.
I own a 2002 Mint AcuraTL, and it's so well built,and fast that I have no desire to buy a new car.
"10 hours to replace the pinion seal." Did you hear that loud pop just then? That was my last brain cell detonating. Raaage!! LOL
Looks fairly clean for its age! Couple little cosmetic foibles here and there, but nothing too major. Any time I'm doing a head gasket, I like to do a bit of research into the engine and find out if it'll handle a thinner MLS-type gasket. A tiny little bump in compression ratio can make the car a bit more fun! Plus the longevity if installed properly. :D
Eric, if the music is the only problem of the time-lapse timing belt replacement video, why not take a piece of music from UA-cam's free-to-use audio library instead? Or does it for some reason _have_ to be the music you initially chose for it?
I made the music fit with the video.
Please share
Thanks Eric, I'll be following this one. Good thing you have a big parkng lot. I wish you'd get a GM to work on, especially an ecotec engine.
I didn't keep it.
Hey Eric well done with the video. I would not be the only one saying this, but please do more of these about other cars and popular cars as well. and do them when ever you get a car rolled in for an oil change even just to show us which cars are shit and which ones are gold. I loved the way the video flowed and you did a fantastic job with narrating it I guess you would say. perfect information not to much and no to little just perfect video. keep them comming. and I'm getting frustrated waiting on a damn pikachu. when I could go find one. your making me not even care about the fairmony, I mean it's only "fair" to post the videos already. lol haha
If I'm not mistaken that particular car has real wood and leather. They were competing against BMW and Mercedes with that car.
Is it me, or the rear hand rest had more than a cup holder, IE a small box where you could keep stuff? I've only seen this car model once, an imported one (to EU).
You know your a pleb when your lusting after the luxury of a 2002 Acura lol
Hi Erick, first off let me say how awesome I find your channel! Your tutorials are well made and very detailed. With that being said, my aunt has the 97' RL with an awful transmission leak. Initially I thought it was a bad seal between the Transmission and Torque Converter, but after watching this video it appears I may be wrong. When warmed up, Transmission fluid pours from the area you pointed to @ 10:34. With the help of a relative, we would like to take care of this for her. Did you ever get around to tackling that leak and could you tell me the best way to go about this?
Thanks much and keep doing that you're doing!
I wished Honda had went to rear wheel drive for their Acura line..like Lexus..for the higher end models
The original NSX was RWD.
Agreed...but for the higher end luxury sedans..they should have went RWD...look at the Lexus and Infinity..hard to justify spending over 35k for FWD..they do have AWD but on the upper end models..still love the brand though
Rip off those "RL" badges and put the real name on there: LEGEND.
Believe me they fall off anyway lol