Who hear is willing to trade their car in and pay the difference? The car is almost a joke, until Acura makes it RWD. I love my CL-S, but 290hp or whatever and a MT, that is a tire and clutch burning machine. All of you are excited, but how many of you have ever even driven a MT that was considered high performance, that wasn't RWD. ADD Headers and an RES thats 350 hp if you come anywhere close to getting a hard launch you will just sit there smoking your tires while the other car leaves you. I like a MT as much as anyone don't get me wrong but FWD, i think it will heve serious traction control issues. IF the VSA is on it will kill you launch if its not you will, unless you launch slow, but that is a sticks advantage quicker launch and higher rev shifting. The shifting point will be an advantage but why not just buy a shift timer and put it on your Auto Cl-S same thing.

 

I guess you are right ... but don't you think the Honda/Acura engineers are at least one step ahead of us? I sure hope so ...

 

I'd like to see AWD....

 

There's more to it than hard launches. Coordination, control, etc. Many people with CL's are not willing to trade for the manual, but it will probably attract the clutch loyalists who would otherwise buy a BMW or IS300.

 

I like the idea of making the car more sporty, but our even our car has a tendency to torque steer under hard accel. if you go into a corner hard downshift into a lower gear and get on the throttle just a little too hard you will hit something and I don't want to see any of us boardmembers getting hurt. There is no powersliding a FWD car only powersteering. With mods it a MT would be ineffiecent and dangerous, unless you drove it conservatively, and everyone on this site is hp hungry, just like me.

 

I guess we'll find out in a few months when they start rolling out.

 

I'm having second thoughts as well.....I'm 42, grew up on MT, however, they were RWD ! I can't imagine FWD with all this HP etc....wheel spin etc.....So, I going to hold off and check out the Nissan 3Z 6MT and maybe the BMW.

I'm tired of being a SUCKER to HONDA/ACURA with this "limited edition" BULL SHIT, I bought into it with my "Scarce" 1998 Accord Coupe that EVERYONE wanted, so .......there is came, OH, those are limited, hard to find, blah blah and the same shit with the 2001 CLS, I know, because I paid top dollar and watched the car depreciate BIG TIME ! So that's where it is with me regarding this 6MT CLS !

I've learned over the years NOT to be first in line !

 

I think that most cars are going to eventaully go that direction, just for safety reasons, not to mention handling. But could you imagine the problems with acura 1st AWd system and we only hear things about our trannies. Let Audi and Subaru perfect it and get a strong following then others will follow.

 

I couldn't have said it better myself (other than I'm waiting for something else, as I'm fairly happy with my car.... and I'm only 39 )

The fact of the matter is, unless Honda / Acura's got something up thier sleeve, the 6spd M is going to be problematic as a high HP FWD monster. I'm sure It'll be a blast to drive, but trying to push it to the limit will take some real skill. I'm not willing to give up on some of the "ease" in which I currently have with the manymatic.

Hope all turns out well for those that are going for it, but I won't be one of them. I'm not rich by any means, so taking a serious bath on my 01 is not an option. Period!

RES + MM2 + what I've got now will keep me happy no questions asked. It got pretty cold here last night, and my car is a true beast right now (love that cold air.) I'd never got 2nd gear to chirp before (hadn't really been trying lately,) but she did it several times for me on a "long way home" drive. What a blast!

I'm happy with what I've got, and damn glad to be blessed enough to have it!

 

Contrary to what my license plate says, I’m not an avid street racer anymore.
I want the Manual for proper control of various driving situations, not just for quick 0-100 runs.

I need FWD or AWD for an ALL SEASON car, not a California cruiser.

If Acura goes RWD, my money will go elsewhere.

Shawn S

 

I bought this car because it had a auto 5 speed. After 175k miles 14years in a 5 speed 1987 Integra and before that 175k miles in a 1982 5 SPEED Civic I like having a auto. I have a 1966 Mustang Gt Fastback 4 speed for when I feel like shifting something. Now if I can just figure out how to make my automatic last 200k miles.

 

Thanks for someone finally shedding some realistic light on all this 6spd hype.....Congrats to the guys who get em but unless you are wealthy (and if you were you would not have gotten the CL-S to begin with :P) you are going to take a huge financial hit when you go to sell your 6spd mt CLS---considering the loss you take from selling your 2001---to the top dollar you pay for being "the first in line" then selling the 2003 at a huge loss...count on losing 13-17k at least---

If I decide to get the 6 spd it will be a few years down the road when acura perfects it...I will not pay 32-34k for a first year car that WILL have problems and will be worth 27k soon as I drive it off the lot...:P

 

Hey, thanks for sharing all the pessimism guys, but it sounds like you're just trying to make excuses for something you don’t really want in the first place.

When I bought the CL-S last year I had planned to keep it for 6-7 years like I did the Legend Coupe I had for NINE YEARS.
If the 6-Speed was never announced I would probably still be following that original plan.
Alas, it is finally coming and I’m moving to a car I KNOW I will be happier with.
I’m NOT going to be driving it like a Ferrari on a road course so I don’t think even 300HP is going to be a major problem with FWD.

As for the DOOM & GLOOM over the value of the 6-Speed. How do you know this?
The Manual Tranny Legends are still sought out even SIX YEARS after they were discontinued.
I know the Legend is a better built car and it holds its value better, but that’s not the point.

When I bought the CL-S, my dealer offered me 8,000 dollars for my Legend 5-Speed with 110,000 miles.
I sold it privately to someone for 11,500 after only a week of ads in several local papers.
That person was like me and had a passion for driving manual and was looking MONTHS for a car like mine.

If you’re happy with the SLUSH-BOX and you don’t like stick, FINE, but there is no need to come on here and say how they are such a bad investment.

Nearly everyone here took a BATH on their CL purchase like any new car.
I’m just going to be “EXTRA CLEAN” in a few months.
But at least I’ll be happy when I’m driving down the street, not making excuses for what I own or don’t own.

Peace...out,
Shawn S

 

Sorry to be the first to say this, but you should have gotten a BMW if that's what you're looking for from a CLS.

I mean honestly - who gives a flying shit about a launch? I want a 6MT because The ratios should inevitably be tighter. No Slushbox delay, and the ability to go from 5th to 2nd instead of waiting for 3 shifts with SS! I want a clutch that gives me the ability to up the revs, drop the clutch, and do whatever the hell I want to with it!

So if you want a 6MT for just the damned launch, try test-driving it first before you let the jury loose.

 

Shawn--you don't have anything to worry about. If you are fine with losing a little money for what you really want than more power to you.

As for the rest of you thinking the 6 speed is going to be some hulking pain in the ass to drive, I'll bet you a dollar you are going to be very wrong.

I'm sure the car is going to be reliable and not have any of the issues that we are currently seeing. I'm also sure that Acura is going to have a way to control the power to the front wheels--just like they did with 260 in the original CLS that many people thought was going to be impossible (magazine writers included).

The new car is going to have a slick shifting manual, some nice exterior upgrades some more power and who knows what else. I'd bet it has 18" wheels and more styling flares.

Plus, if this car really is a limited production run car than I think it will eventually end up having better resale value than the automatics.

 

JZ - I agree with you ... which I guess is why I think Acura is gonna come through on this one. They have too ... and to be honest I am not sure how it could be worse than the SS on the used market. There may be fewer of the 6MT's, I think they will sell for more since there are not as many on the market at one time.

I also find it interesting that folks think you must "take a bath" to do this kind of a trade up. I guess I got in the 01 CLS for about 30K and make payments on it for almost 2 years before I sold it. All thinks considered I basically paid "rent" to have it for 2 years and traded it in to my dealer for about $1K under what I owed on it give or take. What about those folks that got the 01 CLS on a 2 year lease early on? well - the 6MT coming out just in time for them.

In either case ... I am sure Shawn S and I will LOOVEE our cars just like we liked our SS model 01 CLS's. Acura is still a fine company and let's just hope they use the CL/TL as an example to show that as I think they have some momentum to do so.

One more point - PLEASE tell me you guys don't truly think Acura is going to sell a car that can not keep the wheels on the ground with a reasonable manual driver at the wheel? I mean come on !! That is crazy. Even if I was not getting the car I do not understand how you think Honda/Acura would fall short here? They would not sell one CLS 6MT if this were the case

I am still 100% psyched ... the countdown continues

 

I agree with provench. Acura, historically, has been a very conservative, rather bland comapny. Thus, the chances of them sending out a tire-burning, hard to control beast as their mid-luxury coupe is highly unlikely. I am placing my money solely in the AWD arena. There is no way any Acura (minus the NSX) is gona be RWD and I doubt that VTM-4 was developed oly for the MDX. An AWD, 300hp, 6MT CLS would be hot. Unfortuantely, I would bet my left nut it will still not handle even close to the 330Ci.

 

I am not trying to piss on your parade man....If the six speed were available at the time i purchased I would have considered it...just not for the 32-34000----I NEVER would buy a car close to msrp...I got my CL-S for 27,500 with navi, spoiler, mats and wheellocks....The fact that the dealer came down so low is what made it a good investment for me. I personally am liking the SS and I dont regret my choice a bit...for those who MUST have a 6 speed and dont mind shelling out the extra bucks..more power to you. Perhaps if the feedback is good on the car I will consider it for my next purchase 3-4 years down the road...of course I will buy in december and shoot for the leftovers so i can get me a deal again!