hh1976

I was wondering if we had or could help find out what the demographics of CL owners looks like. Based on what I read on Edmunds.com, Acura had said the following about their expected target market for the CL:

"Acura's target market for the 3.2CL is aging baby boomers that are experiencing life without children for the first time in decades. No longer needing that silly SUV or monstrous minivan, these empty-nesters are supposed to rediscover the joys of coupe life...preferably in a CL."

Given this target market statement and based on my own experience, I do not think that they guessed correctly. I sure do not fit that profile.

I was curious to see if the site had any info about this or if maybe a survey poll could be set up to see what we look like as an ownership group. I would be interested to see items such as: age, gender, ethnic backgroud, geographic location, etc.

Any feedback from the mods and/or others would be great!

Thanks and hope you all have a great weekend!!

Cheers,

Hunter

4ank

I would say they were a little off. Maybe initially there were aging baby boomers, but I think you will find that the demographic is generally much younger now.

I am 24, therefore am not a baby boomer, but I did buy the car used and suspect that the guy before me was a little older.

Sun Diego CL-S

i can see how that quote could be true. especially since this was the target consumers that they were aiming for when the car was being bought new. a great part of us here are used car owners, like in my case(second owner).

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Most CL's I see around woman & older people are driving. Same with the TL. The TL is ALL OVER my area. I see at least 5(if not more) a day.

GreenMonster

I'm 40 and single, but I'm closer to the target demographic than most people here... Doing a search here for demographic* will turn up alot of interesting threads...

I posted this awhile ago... I read it on acuranews.com when the RSX was getting ready to be launched...

GuddsCLtypeS

car companies are always off on their demographics. but as someone else said, it was probably somewhat based on price when new.

ive seen about 7-10 CL-S's around VT so far. the nicest is an white 01-02 with 18-19in BBS's. saw two six speeds driven by 60+ yr old women. and a month or two ago i parked next to an SMR 01 at McDonalds and the guy was my age, he peeped my interior wheh he left, wonder if theyre a member...and one fly ass chick drives an NBP 01-02 around here

today i sat next to an 06 TL with a body kit, 19s and a fat lip spoier that looked SICK and the woman was probably 45 and i was just like "that bodykit looks beautiful on there" she said thanks of course.

YeuEmMaiMai

37 and single here as well

my last 3 cars were coupes

hh1976

I lived in Florida (Tampa Bay Area) and just about everyone there was old. I think it may be worse on the east coast of Florida. I have a nickname for every state that I have lived in about how many of them drive...... Florida's is "I am so old I am about to croke and I am going to take you with me...." often in their land barge lincoln or crown vic...

Lots of kick ass rides in your area..... no doubt. I saw more exotics in FL than just about anywhere I have been.

btw....I am a second owner also. I am guessing the baby boomers are not members of this site in the same perportions as us gen-X and gen-Y folks who grew up on the internet. Has a poll ever been done? I am guessing more guys than girls. Most of us 20-35. But for ethnic and geographic location I am not sure...

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!! I hope to hear from many more.

g1underground

iTrader: (1)

Well I guess I'm of baby boomer age but never owned a truck,suv or any family style type car. I've always had coupes mainly for size and style, just fits me personally. Rarely do I see anyone as old or older than me with a CL around here, I'm guessing most with one range between mid 20's- mid 30's. The car meets most or all of my criteria for a sports coupe mainly, as much fun to drive and own as a BMW,G35, etc without the maintainence expense.

Oh....50 and single,good job,no kids and still having fun

SkillmatiC

<<< 19 lol, most the people i see driving cl's are older man or women. ive seen a few young people like myself driving around this fine car though

BigLizard

24<<<and all I see is mid-30's to mid-40's people driving CLs and TLs...

I guess I just have good taste.

hh1976

Man.... You got a good deal going there!!

I wish I had a awesome car like that when I was 19. In fact, I did not own any car my freshman year in college. A year later I got a used 1991 300ZX as my first cool car. (my first car ever being a 1979 Chevy K-5 Blazer) I have been through many others between then and now.

I am stoked for you! Have fun with it. And I don't care what people say, having a cool car DOES help when dating. My success in dating when way up when I got the 300ZX.

01CLKID

18 years old definately not a baby boomer

Allout

The gauge to find out if Acura hit their target market would be to take a look at the people that bought the car new from Acura. I doubt that the marketing and design people at Acura thought about what the demographics would be on their used cars. So much changes after the initial sale. Discontinuation of the CL in 2003 and the value of the used car opens the market up to a whole different crowd.

MyAcuraCLS

I'd say they are mostly right. Most guys I know with a CL are fairly young, and single, or at least don't have kids....

rondog

iTrader: (1)

I was single when I got mine, but I am married with 2 kids, And I'm still waiting for Acura to come out with a new coupe.

SkillmatiC

haha, thanks. im trying to have fun with it. my first car was atucally a v6 mustang i thought it was so cool until i got my cl-s hahahha

BigLizard

Personally, I love the CL over my divorced Benz...I can do way more upgrades than I could ever do to the Benz.

All Mine

Most demographics I see in Atlanta are 20-35, male, black, and drug dealers. I can verify. Every time I've been pulled over (including tonight) I've always asked the cop "What do you think when you see this car?" And every single one of them say "Drug dealer"

BigLizard

Sorry but that too damn funny.

Marine1

I fit the demographic ACURA targeted. I'm 55, married and no kids at home. I got married for the first time at 50;-) I think I have gotten most of the "Dumb Ass" out of my system. I still the "need for speed". I am just a lot more careful when and where. I want to stay around to see how my grandchildren turn out.
By the way, I am African/Cherokee.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I was 27 when I bought my first new CLS. I had a 2nd new one & then my current used one.

AustinTaper

31 and single when i bought mine in 03. i took the cl over a bmw 330ci and a g35 coupe. i figured i'd get the same (or better) performance and save myself $10K (all new).

The one thing i can say against the CL....the bmw 330ci did seem to have much better handling, but besides that I didn't see anything to warrant spending an extra $10K. looking back i dont regret the choice at all.

DelawareCLS

Also 27 or 28 when I got my first CL ('01) and I remember seeing that demographics quote in an article about the car...didn't think much of it other than I'll have a nice, quick car that others only see older folks in (kind of like a sleeper car). I guess I was 29 or 30 when I got my second CL ('03 6MT).

Any poll you do here to get a feel for demographics is going to be biased by the internet effect and the volume of 2nd owners, as has already been stated. Generally, it looks like a definite 18-35 crowd here, and may explain why it appears that the 6-speeders are over-represented.

Jared03CLS

Bought mine new in May of 2003 at the age of 22, so I don't fit their mold at all. Not single, no kids.

I do see a few CL-P's around my area with people in their 50s behind the wheel.

GreenMonster

I still have a little "dumb ass" left in me....

DRM600

I was 24 when my 01 cls was purchased new in august 2000.

wakipaki

great, i'm 18, and i supposedly have an old-person-mobile

o well

hh1976

I could not agree more!! This car really is a sleeper and that is AWESOME. This car is for the classy fast and furious crowd in addition to other demos. This car is understated and has luxuary and performance to boot. I am looking forward to getting the handling and braking better, but short of making the car RWD, I love this car as it is the only car in the segment that can do so much and be so many things to so many people. It appeals to the boomers and to the Gen-x and Gen-y crowd. That is something that few other cars can say. You never know who will be driving the CL you see. That is cool.

Also, 6-speeders are, I dare say, often more connected to their cars and the experience of driving them than those who prefer an auto. (no offence to the auto crowd!!) But, choosing a 6speed in a car like this says alot about how you want to connect with your car. The driving experience is totally different to me in any car with a manual. I hope Acura makes another coupe in the future in the segment of the TL/CL as I know it would be on my shopping list in years to come. I chose to buy a used CLS 6mt/nav over a new G35 coupe. I hope that is a statement of how good a car the CL really is, to choose it over a newer very capable alternative.

I do not see another car in teh near future makingme feel like I am missing out by driving my CLS. (other than those driven by CEOs), but even still, I feel lucky that Acura put this awesome car out there for us to enjoy.... and I look forward to enjoying it with you all for years to come!!

Cheers,

Hunter

p.s. sorry for going on and on, I am still in my honeymoon stage with my beautiful new (to me) CLS.

BigLizard

Don't we all?

ChucksCL-S

I'm 53, and my 03 CL-S is my weekend four wheel superbike. It 's got I/H/P and also has liteweight SSR comp wheels. I have two away at college and one still at home who just bought an '01 Prelude. Married 30 years last month. What can I say? Life is good.