Update
Another twenty-four hours have passed, and I have decided the best thing to do is wait a few more months before purchasing a new car. I started thinking about how there is still so much debris from the hurricane piled along the sides of the streets. There are lots of new roofs being installed. Along with the construction comes the hazard of nails. I would hate to get a brand new car and have it damaged.
I read the Acura RL brochure from cover to cover yesterday. Throughout they kept talking about the use of aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber parts in the car to reduce weight and increase efficiency. I began to wonder if the car was sacrificing safety. I looked at the crash test data and found the 2005 RL had received five star ratings in all three categories of the NHTSA crash tests. It was only the third car in the history of the tests to achieve this rating. The car still weighs over 4,000 pounds so it is a hefty vehicle. The Insurance Institute gave it a good frontal crash rating, not tested on side impact and marginal on rear crash protection. I wonder what the difference is in the testing methods of the two organizations.
Also, after I read the brochure, I decided the only feature the car was lacking was a way to connect an Apple iPod to the car’s audio system. I then looked at the Acura website and saw the announcement of a dealer-installed option for the 2006 RL to enable the use of an iPod through the sound system. Now they have thought of everything.
Tomorrow I am going on a day trip to Natchitoches, Louisiana. This is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase. There will be a plantation tour, a tour of St. Augustine Catholic Church and a Christmas Lights Tour. I have to be ready to get on the bus at 6:45 AM and will not return to Beaumont until 10 PM. It is going to be a very long day.
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posted by Sally @ 7:12 AM
2 Comments:
At 12:00 PM,
momula said…
Hi Sally,
To me, buying a car has always been a struggle between emotion - "what a beautiful car!" and practicality - gas mileage, safety, etc. I just bought a 2002 Toyota Camry about a month ago, and I almost love it - it's not fancy or eye-catching, but it's very reliable and great on gas. I like it more and more every day. I had always owned American cars before this one, a throw-back to the idea of "buying American," which of course doesn't really apply any more since "foreign" cars are now made here, and American cars are made "over there." In my heart, I wanted a sportier car, but logic won out.
Your mention of Natchitoches, LA reminded me of a cookbook that my sister, who is married to a man from Dallas, gave me a long time ago. There is a short paragraph in the book about the way the towns/cities of Natchitoches, LA and Nacogdoches, TX got their names - something about an Indian chief who had two sons, and split up his land by sending them in opposite directions for a certain amount of time; where they settled is now where those two cities are. Any idea if that is true?
It sounds like a nice way to spend the day. Have fun!
At 6:17 AM,
Sally said…
Hi Momula,
It was a good trip. Natchitoches was the name of an Indian tribe that populated the area.
The Acura RL is still built in Japan. If I go through with the purchase, this will be my third top of the line Acura. A 1990 Legend LS was my first Japanese car. It felt like having a thorn removed from my paw when I stopped buying American cars. My current RL will be ten years old in the spring. It is in beautiful shape, but the years take a toll on certain parts on all cars. I am giving myself a cooling off period before I make a commitment.
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