OK, so I need to vent on this... I don't know about the rest of you, but I think the CL-S is about the worst car to make common changes or do routine service on. It is a frickin' nightmare to change the air filter, oil, or battery! What the heck were the designers thinking? The battery "cap" has a plastic ridge that sticks out 2" underneath and goes around the positive terminal and fits only the stock replacement battery well (all other replacements you have to jam the battery off to one side and literally bend the ridge around it or cut the ridge off completely to get it to close). The air filter compartment has about a good 1/2 inch to work around and the slot under the intake pipe coming off of the air filter takes super-human strength to get it to "snap" back in with any air filter. Don't even get me started on the oil...
I swear my 88 Celica was 10 times easier to work on. Do others have similar problems? Don't get me wrong, the engine bay still looks clean and the whole car operates smoothly, but this things really bites to do any kind of work on... things take 10 times longer to do than with previous cars I've had...

 

I really havent had any problems doing my oil. But thats the extent of the work Ive done. Im still under warranty and take it to the dealer for other routine crap.

Its kinda funny you post all that and your signature is "This car rocks"

 

.. you all pissed about taking 10 more minutes of your time... but your signiture tells a different tune....

 

I have not had any issues with the oil changes and the air filter replacement. I don't think it takes superman strength to work on removing the air filter and adding a new one.

Since this is the first car I did any maintenance on I can't say it is bad.

 

You forgot to mention the spark plugs.

 

Hey, don't get me wrong, I love the car. And just to clarify, it doesn't take super-human strength to remove the air filter, nor to replace it. It does take a lot more to get that cap on with any kind of filter in it (i.e. if you try putting it on without a filter, it goes on quick... but not when you make a replacement). As for an extra 10 minutes... that is probably being quite conservative. I think the battery took probably an extar half hour for that lid, and the air filter was easily 20 minutes extra than I would have expected. So, yes, it is frustrating. These things are regular items that need servicing periodically. OK the battery can be argued for being replaced once every 3 years. But the air filter is easily an annual event and oil should be done at least 4 times a year. Believe it or not, the cabin filter was actually one of the easier things to replace on the car, and that means taking out the glove box to do it.
As for the spark plugs, I can only imagine how long that would take... yikes!

 

Spark plugs are easy, just a little tight of a space on the back row of cylinders.....

 

I hope they made the transmissions easy to change!

 

Not if you have a S/C.

 

I have a few thoughts on all of this....

1) The battery cables aren't very good...try removing them from the battery terminals more than once or twice and you'll understand what I mean

2) The bolts used on the airbox are very poor......over time they'll seize, shear off, and leave themselves in the airbox, requiring some "surgery" to remove. My mechanic replaced them with better bolts and lubed them with lithium grease, so this should never happen again. What happened to the nice easy clips that were on my 1988 Accord? Bring them back.

3) Changing oil is very easy with the filter being right by the front wheel.....just turn the wheels for easy access. My 88 accord was never this easy.....as the filter was directly under the engine.

My 2 cents!

 

Dude our cars are super easy to service.
Whats wrong with you its a HONDA!

try servicing a 300zx. Where you can't stick ur hand into anywhere in the engine bay.
that car is a pain in the ass.

 

Few Mounts is all, piece of cake

 

i feel that pain....