Hey guys,

I am new to the board and considering a CL Type S or 330ci (old generation). I am downsizing due to economic reasons. I currently have an E55 that I am selling since repair costs are high and fuel economy is terrible. Also, the handling is weak at best. However, it is an absolute beast in a straight line.

Personally, I favor the 330ci primarily due to the fact it is RWD. However, I read a road test comparing these two cars back quite a few years ago and it stated they were fairly comparable cars. Also, I am guessing the Acura will be more reliable and cost less to repair, which is a big plus. Does the CL understeer a lot when pushed hard in corners?

Which do you guys think is the better overall car, the CL-S or 330ci? Obviously there will be some bias, since this is an Acura forum, but hopefully I can get some unbiased advice.

Thanks in advance

 

well if your gonna consider a CL-S look into CL-S 6MT. The auto tranny is prone to failure on our cars. No none major problems at all with the six speeds. Search the forums and you'll see many member's have had tranny issues it's all a matter of when. 03 CL-S 6MT is what u should be looking to compare to.

 

330i

 

my bad I meant "no known" ... oh and 6speeds lose 17.31% drivetrain loss vs. 25% auto. I would take an 03 6mt over 330I. I see 330I all day long and very few Cl-S fixed up or any at all. It's rare, still a luxury car, it has some nuts, it's pretty responsive to mods (if you choose to go that route, even if it's just I/H/E), reliable, and decent on gas. hope that helps.

 

+1

 

 

like you said you're downsizing to save money, would be stupid to choose the 330 if this is your ONLY reason.

but the 330 is a better car in terms of performance. and of course the cl is more reliable as long as its a 6-speed. if its an auto get the 330

 

I can't let this be an Acura vs BMW thread. If you want opinions on your Beemer make a new thread in Car Talk.

Keep on topic about Acura please. I'll it if it gets too off topic.

 

your title says 2001. only 3000 6speeds were made in 2003 fyi.

a 330i is starting at 225hp, Cl 260hp and with intake/headers, you already have 245hp @ wheels (6speed) or 230hp@ wheels (on auto). besides power, gas mileage can be good on a CL if driven nicely, same with 330i tho.

you are obviously into power with your e55 so i mentioned above, but it really comes down to what setup you are looking for:

if power, reliability in one package is your thing: Cl! [also FWD is better here where winters are horrible]. steering isn't bad, but a change from RWD a.k.a. not as good.

...but if you want a better handler and RWD, get bimmer. it comes down to which setup you like as you already know they are very comparable.

 

I wont be biased here and say get a CL. BMW is a nicer car.

 

is your E55 black by any chance? and you should get an 03 instead of an 01

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Good to know the issues with the automatic cars. I will definitely look for a 6-speed now.

This is a hard decision since I like RWD handling characteristics, but I really want a sporty coupe with high reliability at this time in my life. I doubt the 330i will be as reliable as the CL-S.

Are the 6-speed manuals hards to find on the used market? Do they sell for above or below the price of the automatic models?

Has anyone here sold their e46 3 series for a CL-S?

Thanks again

 

No, it's a Brilliant Silver 2003.

What are the big changes from 2001 to 2003 for the CL-S?

Thanks

 

six gears my man... of course minor aesthetics the 03 have black housed headlights, and the tail lights are different, etc. The Cl-S 6mt is faster than an 01 330. Each car will have better attributes then the other in different areas. It just depends on your needs as a driver. As specified earlier your looking to move into something more economical. You won't regret gettin a CLS6 trust me, you achieve what you were lookin to achieve and still have a decent car from a luxury/performance standpoint. After basic mods I/h and some suspension you'll be happy with performance and still have room for improvement which = more mods

 

Same^ the 03 has better stock rims than the 01 and the 03 has black leather instead of tan. 03 has black headlights instead of chrome. Definnately get a 6speed there not too hard to find. The autos have madd tranny problems.

 

[QUOTE=horsepowercrzy18]... 03 has black leather instead of tan.

u sure?

 

Truth be told the 01 tranny issue has been solved years ago from the acura dealers...pretty much all 01-03 auto cl-s are fitted with a new transmission which is a lot more solid...My best friend has a 03 330ci and i have a 01 cl-s and at the track my car has beat his 8/10 so that says that...as for the 03's having better rims than the 01 or 02 its all subjective from there on so best of luck on your decision

P.S. after getting a new free transmission in 03 from the acura dealer, i have not had any problems with it.