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Hi! I've been a lurker here for quite a while and I figured it was time I took a step out into the light!
Really looking forward to getting to be a part of these forums a little bit more.
The CLS6 was the first car I fell in love with, I got to drive one back when I was 17 and it really changed my views on driving (up until then I had really only driven my 96' rav4 with 235,000 miles).
Four years later I wrangled in my very own blue pearl cls6 with 120k miles. Totally fell in love with it until winter rolled around and I sold it to get a 2.7T A6 with 60k miles. Biggest mistake I ever made with a car. After not to long I ended up with a 2004 A4 1.8T Ultrasport which I spent the last year upgrading to an almost full APR Stage 2+. Even with all the long nights in the garage learning how to work on the car I never fell in love with it. I really realized that I never did get over that CL.
Well my break came for me over in Seattle. Saw a really clean 2003 White CLS6, I think he wanted 10,000 to start (did I mention it only had 61,300 miles!). I watched it for a month or so and when it hit 8,000 I gave him a ring. Sold my A4 almost overnight and flew up and grabbed that CL before I knew what I'd even done. 1 Owner CLS6 and a full stack of papers. It did need a new set of tires and the timing work done - which sucked but I bit the bullet and just got it done right away. All said I spent 9,250 for the car with the new tires a full tune up+timing belt service and seals and a powder coat job for the ugly ass chrome rims the original owner had on it.
Now that I have the car "clean" I'm feeling the itch to give it some love part wise. That is where I was hoping to get a little input from you guys!
I've looked over just about all the topic discussions for the mods I'm hoping to tackle this summer but I just wanted some verification on things =)
Later thinking of adding a AEM CAI, wanted to grab a CT icebox but they seem really really rare.
Probably keeping the stock exhaust, I'm a huge hater of drone (my a4 drove me nuts) and it doesn't sound like the gains are worth the price for me right now.
Suspension:
Really up in the air with this right now. What I do know is that stock is way to soft for me after my last car. Considering the XLR8 ISC Coilovers, or something similar. I do a lot of mild dirt road use so absolutely nothing slammed but I could do with 1.5" drop and way stiffer. Probably going to have a shop do the install on these, total budget is between 1750-2300. Allocating the most of my summer funds for this.
Brakes:
Looking to swap the front calipers out with the ones from a 95' Legend GS, just gonna go to Napa and get some remanufactured ones and bring in my old ones for a core deposit. (~<150?)
Lastly is the wheels. I ended up just getting 225/50/R17 Pilot A/S 3 tires for the car right now. But I'm thinking of going elsewhere with these in the distant future. How big of a difference is there going to be with a wider/bigger tire/wheel? I don't ever really plan on tracking the car, its just for fun out on the mountain roads.
You guys have any recommendations for something I overlooked? Am I on the right track? Any and all feed back is really appreciated.
One last thing I was wondering is what kind of MPG you guys get, I got 30-34 MPG on longer ~80mph highway cruises in my original CL that I sold but in this one I sit at just around 28-30. Was my old one magical or is this one a little clogged up some where? (Engine ticks a little, thought it was valves but the techs adjusted them with no change in noise when I had the belt work done. Maybe the fuel injectors? It's not the purge solenoid.)
When the weather clears up i'll get some pictures thrown in here and of course give you guys updates on what I go with and how it turns out.
*shrug* I'm happy with the money I've spent and the money I plan on spending. Sure there are other cars and other newer cars to get for that price but they are not what I had my eyes on =)
Hi, thanks for posting the particulars on your car and congratulations as well! I have been shopping for a 2003 CL for a while now, and have a pretty good handle on the pricing. For one with that low of miles you got a nice deal, imho. Most of them with 50 to 75 K more miles than yours are out there for around the same money.
No need to change out the exhaust unless you want more sound. Minimal gains are to be had with a different set up.
Original tire size is supposed to be 215/50/17. If you are running 225/50/17 then the taller size wall will make the car softer.
Can't imagine it would make a huge difference, it could very well though. I was more in the mindset of gaining some extra traction. I think I read somewhere about people going for 245s on the CL's. Maybe grab 245/45/17 for winters? Within the next 12 months I'm probably going to switch over to some 18" wheels for summer so I'm going to make sure i'm closer to the mark for the tires I get then.
Also in terms of the suspension I'm leaning towards the Ksport Kontrol Pro Coilovers right now.Ksport Kontrol Pro Damper System ACURA CL
Also planning on throwing on a CT sway bar.
Should have that all done by early early July if everything works out.
I had tein basics and they rode like stock, but I didn't like the nosiness. Do you want to slam it? What's your goal? Eventually I'll grab some Koni yellows to go with my springs.
I had tein basics and they rode like stock, but I didn't like the nosiness. Do you want to slam it? What's your goal? Eventually I'll grab some Koni yellows to go with my springs.
Not looking to slam it. My goal is to reduce the body roll and softness that the stock suspension has. Won't be tracking ever but I love curvy mountain roads. Car just doesnt feel nimble right now.
Not looking to spend every penny I can find but I do appreciate quality.
I recently just installed a set of tanabe nf210 springs paired with eibach pro dampers. I also have the Eibach rear say bar with deeza rear end links. For me budget, quality, and daily comfort and mild sportiness were all factors......The car is now more planted to the road, it feels tighter around corners, and quite smooth. I will post pics up soon if I can find my camera.
I had tanabe NF before and if you're a 6 speed don't get them. the 6speeds are lighter up front compared to the autos and the drop looked bad. The drop is tiny, so obviously no need for camber adjustments.
Yea those Tanabe springs only drop the car 1.0 front and 0.5 in the rear. Not very noticeable. I'm happy with my Tein H-techs (1.2 all around). The ride is still comfortable and I'm not low enough to scrape on driveways.
Man look at me, total flake! Didn't even post pictures. Man...
Alright, well it has been a bit of a busy summer for me. I didn't get everything done but it's moving along.
First thing I ended up doing was swapping out poorly sized tires I had for 235/45/17 ones. Realized the offset on the wheels I had was total garbage so I found a set of decent TSX rims for $150 nearby and sold the old ones, I have a set of RX8 rims for this summer, the TSX wheels will be my snow wheels.
Next was the interior lights - reading and dome lights with white LEDs and the dash and cluster lights with red LEDs.
Threw in a Pioneer head unit to match the new color and get blue tooth.
Then I went ahead and bought the XS power headers, had them ceramic coated and after a few hours of failure and the eventual hateful bolt removal in a shower of sparks by my grinder I had them installed. They fit really well though and so far no problems what so ever.
Next I went ahead and bought the AEM Cold air intake. That has been good to me too, not sure if I felt any real gains but it certainly sounds sweet.
Also swapped out the steering wheel for an RSX wheel with a Redlinegoods leather cover.
Next goals are to grab a P2R Throttle Body Spacer, some CT mufflers then when spring rolls around get the rx8 wheels powder coated and some nice tires then do the suspension, imagining that is going to be an astounding difference, even more so coming off of winter tires. Looking forward to it.
Current brakes have the crummy shimmy under heavy braking, but are still strong and I don't use them heavy to often, probably going to do them later in the year unless they start becoming an issue.
Otherwise I'm considering how to change some of the exterior appearance. Played with some plastidip and the grill. Going to plastidip the silver window trim and get a window tint as well soon. Considering going penguin style on the car. Also having a hard time living with the spoiler, currently have it off and the holes covered up with some white electric tape . Just costs so much to fill the suckers up. I wish the original owner never had it put on in the first place.
Good looking car. If mine looked that good I probably would get anxiety every time I was in a parking lot That brake deal sounds pretty good. I wonder if they sell a stainless clutch line.
Good looking car and a low mileage find, good job. About mods a agree with some.
I made a mesh grill for under the bumper and painted it to match the car, makes a statement.
I bought Vogtland lowering springs. They drop the front almost 2" and the back about 1.75". I also like mountain roads and they really help the car track very well, very little sway.
Is your AIM CAI a shorty or does it go down in the fender? If it does go down, I took off the vent covers (were the driving light is on 01-02), ground/sanded down the back of them until they were open and now the CAI will get air straight to it. I also painted the mesh part to match the car to add to the grill look.
I run 235/45/17 and love the look lowered but you will probably have to roll your back fenders to keep from rubbings. My wheels have a +43 offset and they just make it.
Hope this help you some in your search to make your car your vision..
What is story with the Audi's why did not like....how's the ride compared to the Acura Cl?
Beautiful rare clean white color clean CL btw...
The two Audi's I had were pretty radically different. The first - the 3800lbs A6 was the luxury premium package. The thing had ungodly amount of body roll. Also I noticed alot of wind noise compaired to my acura. The weight and suspension made the A6 feel like a barge. Didn't feel sporty at all.
The A4 had superb handeling but the 1.8t is a total dog if you're not 3k+rpm with boost. Either car would have needed thousands to get to similar level of my Acura now in my opinion. Plus turbo lag sucks. Even at 3600ft above sea level I still felt the acura was more powerful.
05-25-2015, 06:07 PM
thanks!
. Just costs so much to fill the suckers up. I wish the original owner never had it put on in the first place.
That brake deal sounds pretty good. I wonder if they sell a stainless clutch line.
