JZ

Man. My friend rolled up in his black 98 BMW Z3 today and his car looked absolutely awesome. Not a single swirl mark or noticeable scratch on it, just deep, thick, beautiful black paint. And trust me on this one, he doesn't have 3 coats of Zaino on it either if you know what I mean! Just normal washes and normal waxing (very infrequently) and his car looks so much better than mine and I wash mine twice a week and Zaion it every other freakin' day.

I am resigned to the fact that my car will never have that kind of shine, probably not even when it was new.

I have to admit, when all the 330 vs CLS talk was going on I was a big advocate of the value difference between the two being skewed entirely in favor of the CL. But, after further review I understand why the BMW costs more than the CL. There are certain things like paint quality that I wouldn't mind paying extra for. It's like putting expensive carpeting in your house vs. builder's grade--It may cost more but down the line it will really show its worth!!

Oh, I'm sorry--we had the option to buy the paint protection warranty. I guarantee you would not need anything like that on the BMW. Why would you need a warranty unless Acura knew the paint was shit.

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Black/black CLS
Comptech headers, springs, swaybars
Koni yellows
Polarg M6 road lamps
Solaris Hi beams
Potenza RE730 225/45/17
Red AEM CAI
Denso Iridium plugs
35% metallic tint

kensteele

But I thought the major price difference was that the Bimmer owners were paying for a name badge? Is there anything else?

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* 2001 Acura CL Type S * Blk/Blk * Navigator * Spoiler * Moonroof Visor * V1 *
* Since 3/31/2000 *
* Road Warrior *

mrdeeno

i'm thinking about 40% of the premium over the cl-s is the name, and 60% is for other stuff such as paint and stuff...but it's still a big amount to pay for a name to get that 60% of tangible goods.

what does jens and the other park ave. people have to say about the paint? considering they're pretty much the closest people affiliated with acura.

JRock

Well my car's only been home one day, but so far the paint looks good.

Anyway, for me the Acura was a step UP from GM cars my family has always owned. So I can't imagine what another step up would be like.

As soon as I sat in the CL-S I had a big smile on my face because everything seems just right inside it. Great car.

Hopefully I just lucked out and the Aegean Blue Pearl is just a better paint or something? Who knows.

-J

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2001 CL-S Aegean Blue/black interior no-navi
Stock for now.

Aegean CL-S

Jrcok, I've had my car for about 3 weeks now, and no paint chips or defects yet *crossing fingers* so maybe the aegean blue has better paint quality since it is the newest color, they might have fixed those problems with the other colors, like chipping and scratching.

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Bone Stock Aegean Blue CL-S w/navi

RAdams

Paint and interior protection packages are offered by third-party vendors through the dealer. They're NOT underwritten by Acura and serve only as cash cows for the selling dealers.

Also, for what it's worth, the black paint on my co-workers 1999 528i is no more deep, rich or lustrous than my 1997 Integra's paint was.

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2000 WDP 3.2TL non-NAV
AEM CAI

JRock

I didn't get any "paint protection package" on my car like they offered. They even tried to offer it to me at the "dealer's invoice price of $265" and we still said no.

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2001 CL-S Aegean Blue/black interior no-navi
Stock for now.

Code3Smith

Well I have had my Black CL-S for about 5 months now. Everyone is always complaining about the paint job, but I have had no problems whatsoever. People always ask me what I do to keep the shine. The answer...nothing really. I handwash it every 2 weeks, and run it through a brushless car wash in between the handwashes. I wax it every 2 months. It looks great. I live in California though, so the weather isnt as harsh as where you are.

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2001 Acura 3.2CL Type-S
Black, Ebony, Navi
- Splash guards
- Wheel locks
- PIAA 19169 road lamps
- Weapon-R intake w/K&N
- Comptech Springs
- Comptech Sways
- De-Badged rear
- Tint all around
- RAZO Shift Knob

MyksCLS

What is it with the paint? I had a bubble on my rear bumper which they fixed. Then when I picked my car up they left the clear coat off so I had to go back for a third time to have it all fixed. They finally got it right but I keep my tickets incase I have prob with the bumper.

mrdeeno

i don't think it's 'cuz the paint job is bad, i think it's just not good for a $30k car.

a $30k car should have at least a 25% better paint job than a $15k civic.

fast_daddy_car

Well, to really make us feel bad about our paint, I just put two coats of zaino on my minivan over the weekend. Its a '00 sienna, sailfin blue. It now has a great, mirror finish, envy of all the other moms in the foodtown parking lot
Even with all the door dings, not one has gone through the paint finish or even marked it! I even banged the roof with some lumber from home depot, not a scratch or mark.

Come on Acura, your paint is being beat by a mini van!

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2001 Satin Silver CL Type S.
No Navi, PIAA 19169, Comptech Sways, Century Childseat, Mudguards.

JZ

Speaking of Civics--I swear the paint on my girlfriend's civic is of much better quality than out paint. I remember one of the first times I washed the car I grazed the paint on the front fender with the hose nozzel and had a big ass, down to the metal scratch. I couldn't believe how soft the paint was--I barely even touched the car.

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Black/black CLS
Comptech headers, springs, swaybars
Koni yellows
Polarg M6 road lamps
Solaris Hi beams
Potenza RE730 225/45/17
Red AEM CAI
Denso Iridium plugs
35% metallic tint

CO-CL-S

Our only hope is that one of the car rags does a long term test and notices that the paint is not holding up and writes about it. Maybe then Acura will see they are in trouble of losing their "Luxury" label and do something, but I ain't holding my breath. I'm now thinking that the way this thing is chipping, I'll be repainting it when it turns three.

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Eat Safe, Use Condiments
Red CL-S, non-Nav, 35% tint, M6 driving lights, M4 map and door lights

colbster

I'm getting in on this a little late but when you guys are talking about chipping are you talking like on the hood? I have these tiny pin-point chips on the hood. My car is totally babied, garaged, etc. I have a professional detailer on contract - hand waxed once a month, handwashed once a week, still paint looks terrible up close. Is this what you guys are talking about?
Thanks...

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01 CL TYPE S: BLK/EBONY, NAVI, SITTING ON MASITALY SAGITTA 18'S W/ NITTO 235-40-18'S AND EIBACH SPORT SPRINGS.

CO-CL-S

The main complaint I've seen on the board has to do with paint chipping. Someone mentioned that for one of the Acura models they used three clear coats, but ours only go one.

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Eat Safe, Use Condiments
Red CL-S, non-Nav, 35% tint, M6 driving lights, M4 map and door lights

davematthews-CL-S

don't any lawyers own a acura cl????????
more about the paint:
http://www.acura-cl.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/004628.html

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'01 CL-S black bone stock
with the best radar in the world, Valentine One

charliemike

You could always get them wetsanded and then a couple extra layers of clearcoat put over it but that's probably expensive.

JZ

Yep--that's a big part of it. And it gets swirl marks so easily, and it scratches so easily and it is soft and on and on. I agree with an earlier post that these cars will need to be repainted in a few years to keep that new look. I'll probably do it and get the best paintjob possible.

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Black/black CLS
Comptech headers, springs, swaybars
Koni yellows
Polarg M6 road lamps
Solaris Hi beams
Potenza RE730 225/45/17
Red AEM CAI
Denso Iridium plugs
35% metallic tint

AC_RENAMED

Actually, I have to big round off white patches on my hood. I tried to wipe it forever but to no success. I just think that they didn't pay too much attention to our paint and focused a lot more on interior.