djinferno

I'm trying to purchase a 6 Speed from Carmax but when I drive the ride, It grinds when I put it into 3rd gear...

would this be something major of a quick fix?

Makes me hesitant on my purchase...

NSX-Tuner

It could be your driving style. The CLS 6MT does take a little bit to get use to.
How many miles on car?

djinferno

28000 milles, dought that my driving style has anything to do with it, me my brother and the manager at carmax all had the same problem, this happens at hight rpm over 3000.... This being said, cl is not a sissy car, I'm sure some guys drive real hard in here with no problems, I suspect that the quarter mille times posted here anf there attest that the car can take some abuse...

NSX-Tuner

I would suspect that the 3rd gear syncros are worn-out.

rbf351

sounds like bad syncros

CLASSYCLS

yes it does! but loveing it!

GreenMonster

Which sounds kind of expensive. That's what I call "expensive noises"

I'd be hesitant too, but if it's a smoking deal, then why not...

Ask them if you can take it to a dealer for a PPI (pre-purchase inspection). Have the dealer check it out, and give you a written estimate for what it would cost to have the car "made right". Use that to negoicate a decent deal (asking price - estimate - pita factor). Then take it too a independant import shop to do the work (cheaper then dealer)...

What are they asking for it ?? Mileage ?? Overall condition (other then 3rd gear) ?? Color ?? Navi or non-navi ??

djinferno

2003, Milleage is 29000, No Navi, no back wing Black on Black, condition looks good, no dents or scratches.. Leather looks great, Brakes had no vibration, tires looked fairly new and the car was running strait...

VTEC worked...

Asking price is $21,993

They are sending the car to Acura to find out whats up, I told them that I want a writen diagnostic and how they fixed it.... I was suspecting bad syncros too but I wanted opinions from owners, I wanted to stay away from the 5at just to not have transmition issues and now this Now hopefully its not going to be an issue....

Now one thing I would like to know is what would cause a bad syncro to happen?

Also, could nomeone be kind enought to get me a carfax on this ride

Vin: 19UYA41623A015075

thank you!

Roady

For what it's worth, my 2003 CL-S 6-speed tranny has been flawless.

stejus

Ditto, 19879 miles down so far.

NSX-Tuner

39700 miles and still going strong... that's 25k miles running with the S/C...

rbf351

wonder what the dealership will give me for mine then, 03 6 speed navi and 22,000 miles

i'm hoping at least 20000-21000

01bluecls

djinferno,

Just to let you know I work for Carmax in Northern Va. One thing to realize is the car is still under manufacture warranty. So if you end up buying the car then just take it to acura for any fixes.

Doing the carfax... Carmax will not sell any cars to customers that have frame and structure damage of any type. Actually when I had my 02 Sentra Spec-v I got into a major accident with it, ($8000K worth of damage) and 6 months later I ran a carfax on my car which pulled up absolutely nothing regarding my car's accident.
Also no cars with branded title histories will be sold there.

I noticed some of you posted "asking price" or mentioning of negotiating. NO! I can tell you right now for a FACT, Carmax is absolutely NO HAGGLE what so ever. Not even 5 bucks! So dont bother troubling the managers or sales people there because the price on the car listed IS the price of the car. The fees, the extended warranty, your trade in value.....nothing is negotiable.

Greenmonster mentions taking the car to another shop for "PRE" inspection. Unless managers there are going outside of company policy that aint gonna happen either. We are too high volume for people to be taking our cars off our lot or holding cars for the matter. That's why we give our customers a 5-day money back garauntee no questions asked FULL refund. During that five day you can take it to a mechanic. If you finds too many things wrong then simply return the car!

SORRY to sound like the salesman that I am, but I thought you should be more informed about buying the car from a fellow A-cl brother.

Post or Pm any questions you might have.

I have been working for the company for 3 years now (Im in college). I am a firm believer in the company i work for.

I bought my 01 acura cls from carmax last april

01bluecls

I would think about 19-20 or more. Just depends on the condition. My suggestion is to wait till spring/summer to sell a CL. More market in that time of season.

djinferno

01bluecls, i'm completele aware of everything you just said, if the acura dealer they are sending the car to have a hard time diagnocing the problem or say something like "well it's not doing it anymore" i'm just going to squash this deal let let someone else have the problem.. this is my first acura and it's to much money to give to deal with problems... imo

01bluecls

This may OR may not help. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166059 It seems some people with about 30k on the 6speed are getting some chatter as well. Hope my posts, I didnt sound offensive. I was maybe trying to clear up some confusion people have when it comes to Carmax.

I guess when buying a manual tranny, its hard to tell how the previous owner shifted. Unless the acura dealer fixes the problem completely then I would prolly stay away from that car is just my suggestion.

Edit: Just realized you said "grind" instead of chatter. Its prolly the syncros going bad. Was it really cold out when you drove the car?

djinferno

NOT COLD BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD MATTER, I'DROVE IN -30 WEATHER ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER HAD A DAM SYNCRO GO BAD, AND I'M NOT EXACTLY THE NICEST DRIVER AROUND, I DRIVE WITH SPIRIT...

hopefully, they can fix it cause at that price, i can't find another car with that much milleage and that great of value... "bumed out"

MG2020

I think I have the 2nd gear grind myself. It doesn't always happen and its only from 1st to 2nd, never 3rd to 2nd. It feels like the clutch isn't all the way down when I'm shifting (when in fact it is). Maybe it only happens when the car is relatively cold because I had my dad try to find it and he couldn't, but this was after the car was warm. If it keeps up i'll bring it to the dealership, its under warranty anyway. Plus i'll get a loaner, like maybe an 05 RL?

dets

does anyone know which if its a 2 gear synchro set up on your car?????


If its a synchro, it should happen in 5th gear too, or in 4th depending to which 2 it controls.


To me, sounds like a differential problem or an actual internal tranny problem.

I know the diff sounds like it would have nothing to do with this, but you'd be suprrised. A grinding noise from the tranny could easily be the diff kicking back parastic heat loss down the drive shaft to the tranny.

Good luck.

MG2020

I'm starting to get a little more concerned with this second gear grind issue. after driving a little more, it only happens about half the time or so that i get a rough shift (that sounds and feels like a gear grind) and it hasn't had anything to do with the engine being warm or cold. I've also found the only time it happens is from 1st to 2nd, not 3rd to 2nd or even 2nd back into 2nd. Also, when the car is stopped, obviously there is no grind, but the shifter is smooth going into second from first. All other gears are smooth. I guess I'll wait it out for a little while and if it continues or i can't figure anything else out, i'll take it to the dealer. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Moodist

iTrader: (2)

I think many ppl have noticed the slight grind from 1->2 and the dealer has done nothing about it. Just said it was a characteristic of the tranny. There were a couple of threads stating how over-filled tranny fluid could be causing rough shifting. Try doing a search, theres alot of threads about it.

aspar

I have the same thing happening with my 6MT as well... I've read the other threads and there seems to be no 1 direct answer or solution to this problem. And I'm yet to hear that a dealer has resolved this issue. I also sometimes have a bit of a rough shift into third. (not smooth like you mentioned when the car is stopped). Most times shifting in these gears gets better after the car is warm, but also like you've said, it can still happen regardless of warm or cold. I may be taking mine in as well so they can check it... I figure better to have it looked at than not.

Shawn S

Mine still only does it in the COLD.
We’ve had some really cold weather these last 2-weeks with several days in a row in the single digits or below.
It’s gotten so bothersome that I’ve started shifting from FIRST to THIRD until the car gets warmed up.

This week it’s been up in the mid 30’s and she’s fine.

Joe5.0

I've never grinded a gear or had any type of poor shift quality in mine, and I have ~ 23k miles. Mine was the 2nd to last production cycle.

Klamalama

I've just passed 70K miles on mine and all gears are quiet and shift smoothly no matter what the temperature is.

patek007

01bluecls, thanks for your feedback - always appreciate someone within the industry sharing with the 'customers' such as ourselves .. However, I must point out, being a bit more experienced that being a hi-volume establishment such as CarMax and offloading cars by the 'pound' does us NO GOOD. I.e. what the hell are you guys thinking unloading a deffective tranny 2003 to a customer?? Why in the hell do you guys think WE should waste our precious lives taking YOUR CRAP to dealers/mech's for inspection??? You in the business of selling reliable autos, i.e. as you said, you do not sell bad-titled, dinged/dented cars... so WHY would you do the one mechanically UNRELIABLE??? In my book - a dealer such as this CANNOT be trusted, and begs to question what else is wrong with the car??? Also.. any reputable acura pre-owned folks do 125 or whatever inspection - what type of inspection was done here?? if such a VISIBLE defect is shown...
As yourself - I hope I ain't too rough on you ... no disrespect - but it pisses me off that a dealer KNOWINGLY would do business in such manner.
For the dude trying to acquire it - I'd suggest go to an Acura dealer and deal with them - we are past Xmas.. and most dealers are DESPERATE for your business ... Trust me, i am trying to get an SUV, Cayenne/x5/MDX/RX330 - like... ... and MDXs are offered at 0 drive offs around 399 a month - and they have 9 on the lot... In terms of perceived acura quality - that's another matter ... They do NOT build them as they used to.. i.e. my 91 integra was SOLID for 10 years straight, while taking abuse at S3/S4 tranny speeds - if anyone could remember ... That's why i am giving Lexus a try... ... This is not to say that I miss my CL-S.. , but then g35c is quite 'beast-ier' ... Good luck with your 'find'.. for I know you shall find what you're looking for - just do NOT let anyone.. Carmax or otherwise INSULT your inteligence in such manner...

$.03
.Patek.

djinferno

I hear you man but at $22K, 6 speed owners will tell you that there car is the best bang for your buck in terms of horse power, options, luxury etc...

Theres allot of good cars out there but the CL is better priced and usualy has that honda reliability...

djinferno

starting to look towards a 350 z instead...

2003type-s6

That's the main reason I wanted to buy new even though I'd take a hit w/ depreciation..........although new isn't an option for anyone anymore.