fate_

i just bought my first car... a 1998 2.3cl coupe. I dont know a whole lot about cars and ive skimmed through some of the topics on this page, but nothing really enticed me.

So my question is, what could i do performance wise and style wise that wont put a big hole in my pocket. Im a college student, so $$ is pretty tite.

Thanks in advance, and im sure ill have more questions later.

piece

Blacura

welcome to the board

take advantage of the search function to learn about individual mods.

as per Performance, the first mod most people get is a Cold Air Intake (pulls colder air in and adds horsepower and a really nice sound)

for style, whatever you like is fair game as long as it's not a huge aluminum wing

good luck!

blo2ck

Yeah get Cold Air Intake first, then maybe a drop. The Wings west front lip is really nice too.
check ebay for cold air intake - look under 94-97 accord
Alot of the accord engine parts fit if you didn't already know.

Blacura

the front lip will cost around 200 primered unshipped...

black headlight housings are free and you do it yourself. DIY mods are the best anyway

Intakes are cheap too. Then get headers and a muffler (or catback). Headers can be cheap for a 1st gen.

Another free style thing is to debadge the rear of the car. It is your option if you want to rebadge with an A C U R A like this:

fate_

wow, thanks guys. But a few more questions if you dont mind. For a cold air intake, any particular brand? And no offense to anyone, but i personally do not like the cars that are TOO loud, so what im asking is what type of noise will the intake make, and if i added headers. How many horses will be added on, around 10?

I want those bright xenon lights for headlights. How much are these and is it difficult to install? Is it legal?

thanks

fate_

Should i get a used or new intake? wheres a good place to look for a cheap one (is ebay reliable)? also for headers.

I like the debadging you did... how can i get my car to look like that? Take it to a shop? And where can i get the letters?

Whats black headligh housing and how is it free?

Im sorry btw, im total noob at this, and i really appreciate anyone that helps me out.

Thanks in advance

fate_

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2400015008

hows this one guys ? should i get it?

97Acura3.0CL

i always never buy used y buy used, when you can break in a new one and make it your own. a new injen short ram will run about 130 a aem shorty will cost about 100 the cold air intake are much more expensive. injen will run about 250 and the aem will be about the same.

you can do the debadging your self. all you need is a hair dryer and some fishing line and some goo gone, thats it. yes i said thats it. you can click my sig i have pics of mine on there you heat up the emblems and slide the fishing line as close as you can to the body and the remainder of the stuff left by the badges you can take off with goo gone. sometime and in my case there was a ring left from the badges but that came with time and the person before me not taking very good care and pretection of his/her paint and car looks.

black housing i have not done yet but i heard it is not hard, if anyone here knows more about this help a brother out and post instructions.

if you need parts for you cl do not go to the dealer not unless you get a dealer like mine and you show them the prices you get on the net and they match them all you can pick up most parts from www.acuraautomotiveparts.net.

also a good place to look is ebay, you can find your indiglo gauages, pedals, shift knobs, intakes, exhaust and mostly everything you can think of. remember though that our cars are like the 97 accord well at least the 3.0's are. the 2.3 are similar to the 4cyl accords as well. most parts for the engine that fit the accord will fit the cl but put up a topic on the forum to ask peps on here if you are un sure about it

i am a college student as well, yes it is hard getting money to fix up the car but hey thats what a job is for now kids just playing! good luck with your upgrades and hit me up or pm me if you have any questions

97Acura3.0CL

note that the link you put on ebay when you go and smog the car the intake is not smog legal and you will have to put on your stock stuff to make it pass since they wil ask you for the carb eo number for the intake i had a bitch of a time last week getting mine smogged since the guy didnt know what he was talking about but that is another story

fate_

wow, you guys rock... thanks 97acura3.0CL.... that helped me alot.

And about the xenon lights, i want the really bright WHITE ones found in lexus, bmw, audii... and when i searced on ebay, they just came up as "blue xenon .." is this the right ones im looking for and does anyone know how to install them? I also heard that there are the fake xenon's and the real ones. True or false?

wdrake_98

Hello Fate. . .
By your post I am assuming you are female, but if you are male. . . my deepest appoliogy.

Anyway! Welcome!!!
We are in the same boat. I too am looking into moding up my CL. Currently looking for a AEM CAI for a good rate also.

Here is a link that I ran across only reciently about things for newbee's
http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...OR+ALL+NEWBIES

Oh and the one bit of advice I can give you is . . . Shop around. I have done a lot of surfing lately looking for stuff and have noticed that some places really HIKE up the prices. So just take your time.
One place that I do recommend is procarparts.com, they have really nice prices. I just bought some reverse indiglo gauges from them. They sell on ebay too. I got my gauges for 23.95!

Well hope you find everything ok.

97Acura3.0CL

note: i had a bad experience with procarparts.com

do a search on here for it some people on here have also had trouble with them and their products but im just warning you

wdrake: take your time when you do you indiglo gauge install some people rush and end up braking their needles to the guages its a horror to hear it so take your time and if you need help with the install thats what acl is here for

fate_

i read the newbie thread, very insightful i must say. However, because of my superior nooby-ness, im sure this question was answered and i just didnt realize it. The front signal lights, can i change the orange thing-a-ma-jig (the ones below the headlights) to clear (white) and change the bulb to a white -hyper white? And can i change all my front lights to hyperwhites?

Can you tell im a noob? Thanks again guys.
Your car-illiterate neighbor

piece

wdrake_98

Yep you can change the bummer lights to clear. You can find the clear lenses on many sites.
Don't know much about the light blubs though. I don't have much dinero, and some of the headlights/ light blubs I have noticed people getting are Bery expensive.


The link that I posted did mention that. . . but I completely can understand ya not seeing it. The terms are kinda confusing.

fate_

just making sure, the orange lights below the headlights are called bummer lights. And you can change thoughs.

Is clearing your bummer lights legal in the state of California?

twopointthreeCL

Actually the yellow lights below the headlights are called corner-lights. It's pretty popular for ricers to buy clear corners and put hyperwhites in

twopointthreeCL

Oh and I heard that having a CAI on your car if your car is predominately every-day use it could be bad. Something about getting water in there?

twopointthreeCL

Sorry for multiple replies but I just wanted you to know the heads up on the clear corners. I ordered a pair of these about two weeks ago from ProCarParts.com and a few days after the shipment date I got an email stating that the clear corners are defected and do not fit correctly.

Also, where can I get new gauges? ProCarParts only has the 2nd gen gauge. Do the 94-97 accord gauges work?

DA_ILLEST_2.2

WELL I ORDERED MY CLEAR BUMPER LENSES FROM AUTODYNAMIC.COM THERE LIKE 3 DOLLARS MORE BUT I GOT THEM AND THEY FIT AND SHIPPIN ON TAKE LIKE 3 DAYS SO THATS GOOD THEY ALSO HAVE THE BULBS THERE TOO FROM WHAT I SEE ITS BETTER TO ORDER MORE THINGS AT ONCE CUZ THE SHIPPING IS THE SAME AND FOR THE BULBS THEY HAVE THEM THERE TOO JUST MAKE SURE FOR THE TURN SIGNALS IT IS A WEDGE BULB AND NOT LIKE A REGULAR I GOT THE WRONG ONES BUT ALL OTHER BULBS UP FRONT ARE HYPER OR SUPER-WHITE

Blacura

Try not to deal with Procarparts whenever possible.

Clear corner lights are purchased by 90% of the people on this board, because they look so much better than stock lenses. They are technically illegal because they dont have an amber reflector, but if you use amber or yellow bulbs, the cops wont know.

The bulbs in the front of your car: Headlight 9006 (9005 for brights), Top corners 168/194, Bottom Corners 168/194, Turn Signals 7440

The bright-ass lights you are talking about are called HIDs (high intensity discharge) and can be put on your car for around 300 bucks or so.

Black Headlight Housings, the best mod for a black CL: you gotta take your lights out, take em apart, paint the chrome part, then put em back together. Here's pics with my car before and after i did it:

Before:

After:

Blacura

twopointthreeCL, dont go scarin people about CAIs like that :pfawk:

you can run into problems with a CAI if you drive through lots of water, but taht can be eliminated with the use of a Bypass Valve (eBay) or just by buying a Short Ram Intake.

Intakes are not extremely loud, not like the fart-pipe ricer sound from a lot of civics, it gives the CL a nice aggressive tone, and it opens up with the engagement of VTEC

NYKEEROCKA

i love the way we help out the noobs, i just have to add one thing, fate when you say peace its not spelled piece.......

fate_

i will be clearing my corner lights, and will put in the yellow bulbs. If a cop does harass me, is it just a fix it ticket + a fine? I cant afford HID, so im thinkin hyperwhites. I have heard that for those, you get what you pay for. I found some for $5, others for much more. I was just wondering if anyone knew whats a good brand, etc, at a reasonable price. I was planning on putting them for my headlights... does it look better if i put them on the top and bottom corners as well (i have a 98 2.3cl)?

Is there a best mod for a red CL? would it look lame if i did red headlight housings?

thanks again...
piece <---- i try to be clever

fate_

could i put any of these intakes in my car?? and is it worth it?


http://209.87.151.155/transfer/produ...as_special.asp


click on "intakes" ... naturally

Blacura

on a red CL, the first thing you wanna buy is clear bumper lenses, the orange looks real nasty with it.

dont know about the fix it ticket, you probably wont get bugged at all. You DO get what you pay for with superwhite headlights. The best bulbs (last longest, nice color) are Sylvania Silverstars (pep boys, autozone, etc.) Many people have tried unsuccessfully to match the top corners to their headlight bulbs, so when in doubt, do yellow or amber.

fate_

sylvaina silverstars, ill get those... how much do those run? (just called pepboys, said they were $20 per bulb for low beam.. is that right? too much $$?)

and i dont understand what you mean by this statement "Many people have tried unsuccessfully to match the top corners to their headlight bulbs, so when in doubt, do yellow or amber" ?

sorry, im sure this is frusterating for all of you...

Acura3.0CL

Hey, You said headers can be cheap too?!? how cheap are u talkin?? I was quoted like $500! Theres not any out there for like $200 is there? (hehe i know im a cheapskate but hey, i gotta save the $bling$ for stuff like TV's and DVD players for my ride! hehe

Blacura

I'm talkin 4cyl headers, not V6 headers, they are expensive.

oh, and fate, i meant the color matching, lotsa times your headlights wont match the color of your top corners so you're forced to use a different color.

laslo

whats up there new b . it is legal to put the clear bumper lights on aslong as you put orange bulbs in . i have the clear lenz'z on mine and i left the clear bulbs on them . if you get cought with them on there it is only a fix it ticket so it wont go on your record . and it costs like 10 bucks at court ... so for the look the ticket is sorta worth it ..... like i said i havent gotten one yet but i know it will come............................. someday

later

laslo

blo2ck

hey whats up fate,
careful with hyperwhites. they usually burn out in about a month. Also don't touch the glass on them with your fingers, they will explode in your headlight!

don't paint your lights red. it will look stupid.

don't worry about the water in your cold air intake. It's safe unless you drive thru foot deep puddles. Look for the chrome CAI on ebay for 94-97 accord by pro car parts. It's the best one for the money. only $30. $50 after tax and shipping. well worth it. Also intake will sound great. Not too loud.

hope this helps

blo2ck

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2400178858

look at this one. Looks sweet!

fate_

if they burn out in a month, than what kind/brand should i get? i dont have $$ for HID, any suggestions?

Thanks for the tips

P.S. I dont know why many of you thought this, maybe because of my handle... but i am not female. Sorry if i came across like that, never happened to me before really.

Blacura

i thought i put this in the 1st or 2nd page.

the longest lasting superwhites are Sylvania Silverstars

fate_

i just installed sylvania silverstar 9005 for headlights, had to modify it a bit to make it fit. Question: did you guys have to aim the light or did you just use it as is? cause i didnt reaim it, but it looks fine...

pennykmpr

Hey, i dont know if you got it het cuz i skipped the last two pages, but i found my polished AEM cold air intake at www.first-1.com for 202.95 with free shipping. Pretty good deal!!!!
GOod luck

luvmyacura

I just had to say, I love this site.

Blacura - your car looks very nice. I have a black on black and I'm considering rebadging mine.

The lights look cool too. What kind of paint did you use? How long total for the redo?

There are several mods I want to do. I have to ask, for those of yuo who quote "wood dash" kit re-dos, did you just replace the OEM wood that was in your car? Mine has the faux wood inside and looks pretty nice, are there other colors? Is there a hyperlink you can post - someone who has done this?

Also, with the shift knob, where did you get it? I want to replace mine.

One last dumb question - what are the "reverse indiglo" dials? I mean, how are they different from the regular indiglo - or are they the same?

Just as clueless as a newby ('cause I have done no mods yet)

A female CL lover

'99 2.3 (not premium I have found)
just did front brakes
new tranny 2 weeks ago

Want mods:
HID lights
clear corners (with amber bulb)
rebadge (since blacura's looks so badass)
indiglo dials
rotors
CIA - eventually

YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

Blacura

hey luvmyacura,

thanks! rebadging makes the back of the car look better IMO. For teh headlights, i used high temperature flat black paint (for grills and stoves). You have to take your time with the lights in order to do them right and not mess up. If you dont do them right they will fog up. I let everything dry overnight.

Some companies offer interior trim kits in different wood colors than our original "wood" and some match but just have more pieces. I dont like the wood and have been waiting for an aluminum/titanium/carbonfiber interior kit to come out, but they just havent yet.

Shift knob look on ebay.

Reverse indiglo - the numbers light up instead of the background, look on ebay

post up some pics when the mods start comin

98CL2point3

hey where in the D/FW area are you from? I go to UNT.

Blacura

damn guys, you see the word female and get an instant hardon...:sqnteek: The girl is looking for advice not an acura love connection

98CL2point3

i asked where she was from, not a love connection thank you. quit trying to act like Mr. Mediator.