Hey guys im new here and just wanted to know a couple questions. Currently I own a 1999 mazda millenia type s. I have a webpage on cardomain if you wanna see it is www.cardomain.com/id/theninemilly

Anyways im getting a good deal on a 2003 6-speed cl type s. I was wondering if there was anything i have to worry about or is this one hell of a car. Im not getting navigation b/c it's not worth the 2 grand extra. Anyways can some of you guys tell me what to look for so i dont get screwed! Thanks

Brian

 

Basically it's one hell of a car. I haven't read any complaints about the 6-speed, so go for it and have fun!!

 

there are no known problems with the 03 6 speed....as far as navigation......id say AT LEAST 75-85% of all non-navigation CL-S buyers (including myself) have MAJOR navigation remorse!!! looking back now, id KILL to be able to go back in time and get the navi.....damn it damn it damn it.....anyways...BE SURE you dont want the navi, because once you make that choice, its made, its near impossible (unless youve got tons of cash) to retro-fit the navi into a CL-S without it....and its also pretty expensive and not as clean to to install an aftermarket navigation.

 

I got mine over Memorial weekend and have a little over 16K on it. It's been very nice so far. I looked a long time to find a car with the right balance of performance, comfort & reliability - not to mention price.

The Infinity G35 is real nice too. Almost bought one, but at the time it didn't have a manual available and has too many packages. The way I would have wanted it would have been about 34-35K to drive out and basically was not available with that combo of packages.

 

you should get one but dont put this sticker on it

 

Just did some research on your Mazda.. it's a pretty sweet ride. The 2.3 liter with 210hp/210tq is no joke.

 

What's the good deal you are getting on the 2003 6 spd?

 

i have major navigation remorse

 

Get the NAVI. $2k only adds like $40/month to your payments. That is unless you live and work in the boonies, then it's useless.

No problems with the 6-speed that I've seen so far. Only it might take some time to wipe the stupid grin from your face!

Good luck.

 

Well, I'll just step in to give you the happy non-navi point of view.

I did not get it.. and I don't regret it one bit. I drive the car back and forth to work everyday... and I know where I work... so I don't need a Navi for that. When I do go on a trip.. I use MapQuest or get directions from someone at my destination... never got lost and always make good time. The only thing I would want a Navi for is DVD movies with the convertor. For that I bought a monitor and will be buying a DVD player when the cash frees up. Getting that done will cost less then $300... still much cheaper then a Navi... so in the end.. I'm still happy I didnt buy it and glad I saved the ~$2k.....

 

get the navi bro. if for anything the PIMP factor.

 

NAVI is way cool... just punch the address and it does get you to door... no confusion problem solved...

Say a friend gave you her address... just punch the address and you do not have to spend like 30 mins to find the address..

 

I also didn't get the Nav. I don't have a problem knowing where I want to go and am pretty good at figureing out alternatives if I need them. Just completed a 3200 mile + round trip from PA to TEXAS and came upon two highway closing incidents ... finding parallel routes isn't a problem, and besides, I'd rather not be looking at a screen while I drive because of the other idiots out there that you have to be aware of.

 

i've got a 03 6spd with navi and i'm happy with it, i just got mine this past september, i wasn't going to go with the navi to start with, but they threw it in for the same price as the one without the navi, so i jumped on it. and i'm happy they threw it in, because if they didn't, i probably wouldn't have been happy now if i got it without it.

I'd say go for it!!!

 

I has a 97 Millenia. Everything of CL is on top of Millenia - except windnoise, automatic telescoping steering, Bose (CL has Bose also, but the one in Millenia is better, IMO), a fully open moonroof, and hydralic trunk release.

So basically you are getting a totally different car.

 

YO YO YO...LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT REMORSE.

It's a fucking $34,000 fuck up the ass! I was bleeding like my mom's last period when I traded in my 01 CLS non navi for a 03 CLS 6speed WITH NAVI!

I had such a big ass issue with my 01 CLS not having NAVI purchased in the beginning! I dreaded the entire 1.8 years of owning her...I couldn't stand it! It didn't set this ACURA apart from ANY HONDA in the interior perspective..it looked like a fucking regular accord WITHOUT THE NAVI on the dash. Yes, I could of bought aftermarket...but check this out..I don't want that shit mounted in a way I could not access the A/C controls easily..I don't want that huge ass screen blocking any air VENTS. It just didn't look right on the stock dash area with any aftermarket unit.

So the 6speed came along..and I had to get one...but what really sold me on the car WAS NOT THE 6SPEED transmission..I didn't even know how to drive a MANUAL! It was the NAVIGATION that tipped the scale...

So I got fucked in the ass with more payments, POS trade in value, and more payments...and payments....

BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I have not felt remorse about getting the NAVI...NOT ONCE after buying the 03 6speed. I did from day one when I bought my 01 CLS without the NAVI!!!

And yes, I hardly use it..but it just feels so right with it iin the car...compared to the gay ass HVAC controls...that so resemble the accord...
(yes I have an issue with that!)

GET THE NAVI!

 

Get the Navi,you wont regret it.I love it,and I don't drive my car that much.But when I do I use it .

 

this was the most convincing thread to get the navi I have ever seen........

 

I hope so for his sake!

By the way, I forgot to mention this...after not having the NAVI in my 01 CLS for about 1.8 years, it felt so weird having it in my 03 6speed. I actually found myself one time printing directions out on mapquest...only to fuckin' say to myself, "FUCK MAN, you just wasted paper!" when I entered my 03 6speed with NAVI. I also couldn't help it..I had this wide ass GRIN ON MY FACE...this is the life... :P If I were to ever buy another car, I WOULD NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT GETTING A NAVI...unless the NAVI is a piece of shit.

 

I live and work in the Chicago area. I know how to get to work and to my house from pretty much anywhere. However, I do occasionally have to go to other locations for work, places I've never been, sometimes to multiple locations in a single day. Having not grown up around here, the NAVI really helps me get to places I've never been.

MapQuest is fine, but you're still looking at directions while driving, arguably more dangerous than the screen on the NAVI. Turn on voice prompts and follow it's directions. An occasional glance at the screen makes it far less dangerous than following printed directions from MapQuest.

IMHO, NAVI is less for cross-country trips and more for local trips in unfamiliar territory. A map is fine for cross-country, since there's very little mystery. Chicago to St. Louis? I-55 south, alternate US Rt. 66. How do you get to your hotel once in the St. Louis area? NAVI! Missed your turn? Don't know the pattern of one-way and criss-crossing streete? NAVI!

One man's opinion, of course.

 

I have a 2001 CL-S non-navi and I don't have navi-envy. Hell, I'm a guy . Guys don't get lost. Period. Basically, all of you folks with navigation are admitting to your women that you aren't a real man. :P Seriously though, for the driving I do and the place I live, navigation just isn't necessary. I probably would want navigation if I lived in some dumbass town that uses names for streets instead of numbers. It ain't real hard to figure out that an address of 5142 SW 72 Ave is located near the intersection of 51st and 72nd on the SW "side".

The one big thing I do regret is not getting a 6-speed, which is why I am seriously considering selling my car. Oh, and if I can afford it I'll probably get navi in my new ride.

 

I don;t regret NOT getting the NAVI... you need to do your homework and figure out what your using your car for...

Mine is not a daily driver
I have company cars to drive/beat/slop up
I do not drive to work
It is garaged
I know where I am going and how to get there
I don't need to impress women with my Navi.
I don't have to pay for upgraded Navi CD's
I got enough gadgets
I am too busy ripping up to worry about directions.
I will get there when i get there.. no big deal, it is not like someone died and I have to be there on time...

You do what is right for you... I am glad I saved the money and spent it on Headers, Springs, Sways and other upgrades.

Smitty

 

The best way to figure out how much you need navi is the following:

How often do you use it? Lets say once a month and you keep the car for 3 years. That's 36 times and it cost you $2000 (not counting any finance charges on the $2K). That is $55.55 each time you use it.

For $55 I'll read a map, thank you. Your use may differ.

 

I love reading some of these reasons for people NOT getting NAVI.

Very entertaining reading thank you.
Especially the ones that involve MATH.

Shawn S

 

Hey, figures don't lie.

Unless they're attached to my ex.

 

Good theory, but you can't always put a dollar amount on the convenience of having Navi.

For example, have you ever been driving in an area that you were totally unfamiliar? And it's a dark and stormy night? And you just want to get home RIGHT NOW? But you really have no fuckin' clue which way is home?

Well, I have. And the fact that my home address is already stored, it takes only a few moments to calculate a course right to my front door, without having to pull over and study maps and then hope that I don't miss a turn etc....

To me, having an experience like that even once makes the $2000 Navi MORE than worth it. And that's just the tip of the iceberg-- there are other reasons to have it also.

Personally, even if it were a $4000 option, I still would get it.

 

Well guys i must say thank you for all of the posts. I did not expect that many people to reply that fast but thank you. I think im might go with the navi, i can get a fully loaded cl 6 speed type s with out navi for 28 and one with navi for 30. Any color i want. So looks like next week my millenia is gone and the cl will be in my drive way. By they way i didn't plan on putting that sticker on the back of the cl. It was a joke between a bunch of friends of mine. Once again thank you guys. Oh one last question! I was looking at the blue Cl. Anyone have one? I dont see very many blue ones on the road, it's a toss up between blue and silver. Thanks guys

Brian

 

Blue is cool.
Silver is boring.

J/K

Shawn S

 

I owned a CL with Nav for almost 2.5 years and used it a whopping six times. Not very good value IMO, my math comes to about $200 per each time used in my case. :o

Now if you use the Nav often it is a great value...

But when I traded the '01 in on the '03 6-Speed the choice was obvious to me.

 

Silver is easy to keep clean..
Blue is a dark color and they are a nightmare to keep clean, you see every little imperfection...

Good luck in your choice..

Smitty

P.S. Silver was the #1 car color choice this year and last year in the U.S.

Be different... go for the Blue

 

get it custom painted, 2 tone, silver with blue roof! hmmmmmmmmmm >:P

 

GET THE NAVI!!!!!!!!!! Me and my sis each got a CL and we decided we didnt need the navi at the time. We are both soooooo pissed at ourselves for not getting it at the time... There isnt a day for the past 1.2 yrs I have the CL that I dont regret not getting the navi. I saved liek $35 a month in not getting the NAVI. And now my lost is wayyyyy more than doubling that price.... THis might sound stupid, but when I got my headlights stolen and they quoted me $5600 to fix the car. I was actually thinking of telling the body shop to use the money to install a stock navi in and just forget about the HIDs and leave the side fenders fu*ked up liek it was. Thats how much the NAVI means to me.... I WANT THE NAVI!!!!!!!!!! I WANT THE NAVI!!!!! I am not going to get an aftermarket navi for the same reason as other members described before.... I'll never ever buy a car without navi ever again.... I WANT THE NAVI..... I dont think I even need it for the direction, I just need the LCD screen to feel like I am driving a $30k car.. And did I mention... I WANT THE NAVI......

 

Actually, there is an issue with the 6-speed. When up-shifting, the revs don't drop off right away. This makes consistent smooth shifting difficult. Two things happen; the car lurches a little and the gears don't mesh smoothly. This will probably cause excessive clutch and syncro wear. I haven't spoken to the service department yet, but intend to. Any ideas?

thanks,
-gary

 

go with the blue. silver is beautiful but to common now. i just ordered the blue so you know what color i say blue

 

Hrmm, this is different for me. I have noticed the revs drop quickly once the clutch is depresed. I checked this against my wife's E46 328i manual and the CL-S6 drops noticeably quicker.

 

Actually I believe this is supposed to happen on this car to help with shifting... I do agree though that the car is pretty wierd until you get used to it.

Oh and by the way, GET THE NAVI!!!

 

Speaking of Navi, what is the chances that the Navi will be upgraded in '04 (assuming they don't cancel the CL in '04) to the current system in the Accord and MDX etc...?

I finally got to try out the newer Navi and I was VERY impressed. It's much faster than the Navi in the CL, and it redraws the maps at lightening speed compared to the old system. Acura claims it processes routes 4 times faster and it really shows....

Anyway, I just can't see Acura leaving the current system in the CL next year, but I wonder if they would redesign the dashboard to accomodate the bigger Navi screen if the CL is only gonna be around for another year ('04)?

 

Think the new Honda/Acura Navi features a wider screen and voice-activated controls etc.

I don't use the Navi too much... but it has helped once-in-a-way. I think it helps in resale... plus its not just a map, its the whole complete yellow-pages.

Punch in a type of restaurant... it lists them all and gets you there. One time I was looking for a tennis raquet string shop and it has that listed in there as well WITH THE PHONE #'s!!!!

Plus I got the car well below invoice... so the choice was obvious!

 

Well dumb me. I called Acura service and they suggested shifting at a high rpm. Guess what, it shifts smoother... the rpm drops off faster at higher rpms (3200 and above). I still have under 700 miles on it so I've been trying to behave (keep the revs down). My upshifting rpm shift point for mild drive had been 3000. Moving up to 3500 does make the shifting smoother.

I know for some of you guys, this makes me sound like an old lady driving. However, when I had my 2001 CL Type-S, regretfully, I didn't give it a decent break-in period. I started hearing some new engine noises after 25k. So I want to baby this new baby for a while - at least until after the first oil change.


-gary

PS - I guess it's my turn to boast about my baby... here it goes...

*2003 CL Type-S 6-speed (Anthracite) Nav/OnStar
*Spoiler
*Splash guards
*Fender trim (not yet installed)
*2002 CLS accessory/running/fog lights, PIAA bulbs (not yet installed) -- need to find out about the wiring. Hope wiring is there. If not, can always tap into parking lights.
*Bra (to be PC - Full Nose Mask)
*Door edge trim (well ... thinking about it ... you know how brutal passagers can be in parking lots)

Not sure about performance mods yet. Maybe a chiller ... at most headers. However, changing headers would probably require getting a firmware or chip mod which I'm reluctant to do.

 

Gary,

That is funny. I did the exact same thing!!! Now I shift at 3500-4000 and it is much smoother. Never actually confirmed this like you did though...

BTW: Get the CAI and headers... No chip change needed.

-devnull