Scrib

First and foremost, I LOVE my car. Its brought me such wonderful satisfaction while driving. Unfortunately, my "fixed" tranny seems to be having issues, and I don't think I could handle another swap without going postal.

So here's my situation and what I'm thinking. I'd appreciate any suggestions/comments or concerns.

My car currently has 9200 miles on it, and is in perfect shape. I don't owe one red penny one it; i.e. it's paid in full. And I have a 7yr/75K warranty on it.

First, I wonder what NEW 6spds are going for in the Chicagaland area??? Anyone?

Would I be lucky to see 20K for my car? If I could get 22-23K, I'd be more inclined to make the switch.

Mods... I'd want to take my tires and sways with me. Do you think the dealer would be willing to do the swap for me? I'd certainly pay some kind of labor rate, but perhaps they'd throw it in at a discounted rate? I don't think I could part with my Pilot A/S that are brand -spanking new and my sway bars that are less than a month old. I could give a shit about the CAI. I'd rather get an icebox. Also, my extended warranty... Is that transferable to the NEW 6spd???

I'd want to get the NAVI this time as well...



Time to speak up. I'm wondering if I should just shut up and enjoy the great car that I have or if this move would be a warranted and worthwhile one. I plan on keeping the car a long time, so resale don't mean shit to me. And I've yet to see one 6spd in my area.

Thanks!

Shawn S

All you can really do is go to the dealership and have them run the numbers for you and see what they say.
From what I’m reading here lately, the people that ARE able to find 6-Speeds are getting pretty good discounts on them.
But if they’re discounting the 6-Speed a couple of thousand you can’t really expect a generous offer on YOUR car.
The tires/rims you can swap yourself, but try and have the labor for the sways incorporated into the deal.
I wouldn’t expect this to cost you more then like an extra 100-bucks or so.

Get the trade numbers from the dealership and then try to sell your car locally for a bit more.
If you can’t find a buyer and still don’t like the numbers then it’s a judgment call on your part.

If they’re really done building the CL-s for good I would expect the available cars to disappear in a few weeks/months so I wouldn’t wait too long if you’re going to do this.

I doubt they could actually TRANSFER the extended warranty, but it should be refundable if it hasn’t been used yet.
You might have to re-purchase the warranty for the new car and then wait for the refund check for the old one to come in the mail.

Shawn S

oghondaman

Depends on your financial situation.I traded my 03 cls auto for a 6speed.Lost my ass but am happy with my decision.Plan on keeping her for a while.I look at my car car as entertainment,not just transportation.I could drive a cheap POS for transportation.So my decision was based on my desire to drive a 6 speed,rather than financial. You could steal a 6spd right now.Dealers what to get rid of them. You could work the dealer to swap your mods.

Scrib

I'll email my dealer and see what they say. First would be to check on 6spd availability and then go from there.

Keep the thoughts coming.

Shawn S

Agreed !!!! It’s hard to put a price on something like that.

I lost money too, but it would have KILLED ME driving the Slush-Box around for several years knowing that the car I really wanted in early 2000 was available to purchase NOW.
I normally keep my cars for 6-8 years and 80,000+ miles. The fist CL-S was an exception to this.

A part of me is glad they killed the CL. At least I won’t be tempted to “upgrade” for a while.
And after a few years my decision won’t really have mattered in the big financial picture.

Shawn S

Scrib

Nobody else cares to comment???

Zapata

Go for it. If you can swing it financially. Not sure how much you'll get for the car, although i think your low mileage will be helpful.

You can swap whatever you want. I had an intake, headers, springs, sways, exhaust on my car. I didn't swap anything but was able to get a deal on taking it off and you can probably do the same.

I made the switch because i wanted a long term solution.

123456SPEED

I'm in the same situation, but I have a 6 speed already!! and want a diff color and Navi. 2 dealers want $7000 + ttl + my 03 to do the deal. I won't do that. My car has 5500 miles and is mint. Trying to sell it myself.
For sale, white/parchment 03 6 speed. 5500 miles. Like new.
I'll keep it if it doesn't work out, just decided to get exactly what I want now, if I can. good luck.

Red-CL

If I had my tranny replaced I probly would have already gotten a manual by now. I love the car but hate problems. Mine has been good to me but soon as it's not, I'm tradin' up!




Go for it!!!!

Wayne

I just traded my '02 CL-S slush box for an '03 6 speed. I think it was the right thing for me to do and I would do it over again. The 6 speed makes this a totally different car.

GO FOR IT! In a few months, the CL-S will be gone and so will your opportunity to get one.

Wayne

Scrib

And to complicate the matter, my dealer has a Anthracite w/ navi on the lot. That'd be my pick too...

Aegean_Blue6

So long as you're planning on keeping your car for a long time, I'd say go for it if you can get a reasonable deal and if you can afford it. Spread over many years of driving enjoyment, the extra cash isn't all that much. Life's too short not to.

If you're writing this here you already know the difference in the driving experience between the slush box and the 6-spd. Definitely bring the sways, they make the 6-spd handle like it should have from the factory, and for sure bring the tires, I'm looking forward to getting out of my Michelins. You didn't mention the strut bar or the V1, but I assume those will go with you as well.

Let us know what the dealer offers! If the deal isn't too great, you could always start looking for used 6-spds, they're starting to pop up here & there.

123456SPEED

Wayne's right, if you want a new 6 speed do it now. or wait and buy a used one cheaper later in the year.
Major blunder to not not have manual from day one. Would have sold many more, would have avoided some of the impact of the bad auto trans. I read that Honda decided because of low sales to drop the CL, but also said that the tranny replacement costs were killing any profits on the CLs.
So it was not only sales, it was Hondas poor trans, poor fixing, and poor planning. I never considered buying the auto trans anyway, always wanted a manual.
I'll probably keep my white no navi. it is a great car. too bad Honda screwed it up, and it had only a 3 or 1 year run.

Bulldog01

If you can live with the numbers part, then do it. You've already sorta decided that's what you wanna do.

The warranty, so far as I know, is transferable from owner to owner, but not from car to car. Cancel the warranty and purchase an extended warranty for the new car. However, it may add a couple bucks to the trade/resale value if it's still in force. Again, if you can live with the numbers, do it.

I wish I had a 6-speed, but I just can't afford the bath I'd take to get outta my lease right now. Plus, I'm starting to mod it, and I don't really wanna pay for labor twice, ya know...I have a goal of breaking 14s N/A, and then I'm gonna try N2O to break 13s.

Good luck!

BTW, how's the job (after a couple weeks)?

Slimey

To quote Arnold from PredatorIn all seriousness, I think this car is great and I'd go for it if I could afford the exchange. You'll get a nice car that's fun to drive AND that'll be good for the long haul. I think the Anthracite is nice too.

OTOH, there are always options, and you may want to explore those too. I know that you posted that you were looking at BMWs before. If you are the type of person that changes his car every couple years, the advantage of trading now may be a little more limited (finacially, or, for instance, getting a year old car model in a three year old design...)

Scrib

Slimey -

The nice thing is I don't have a car payment right now. If I were to go with a Bimmer or even a G35C, I'd most certainly have to get a loan, and that's not what I really want. The CL-S6 is a wonderful car, and is in my wheel-house in terms of price.

If the dealer wants 5-7K for the difference, I may do it. Any higher than that, I'll keep what I have and continue to enjoy it. I explained this to him quite bluntly on the phone this morning. If the deal isn't even remotely close in my favor, I'll politely say no, and let some other deserving person have the car. I already enjoy what I have, but the 6spd would be even better. And for me, that's almost hard to believe.

jimcol711

buying a vehicle is a huge investment for most people. especially when we are talking about a 30k car, not some KIA or something.

when most people buy a vehicle, they want to UPGRADE from what they currently have, i mean, if youre going to spend that kind of money, then you should entitle yourself to an upgrade. typically a person buying a vehicle may want the same type of vehicle. they may upgrade to a newer generation, say a 1998 honda accord to a 2003 honda accord....same car, new body style and features....very FRESH. others may not be happy with their current vehicle or may jsut want a change of pace...for example, a 1998 honda accord to a 2003 toyota camry.

i understand that some of you guys really feel that the 6 speed tranny is important enough to the point that youd consider trading, but what i can not for the life of me understand is why anyone would trade a CL-S for a CL-S six speed.

when i buy a vehicle, i want something DIFFERENT, something FRESH, not the exact same car with only a different shift knob and an extra pedal. to me, thats incredibly unsatisfying and downright boring.

as nice as the 2002 CL-S is, lets face it

a 2003 six speed CL-S IS THE EXACT SAME CAR!!! sure, you get a few VERY MINOR cosmetic tweaks (some of which are "downgrades" in the opinions of some people such as the lack of driving lights, the body color grill and door handles, etc)

since the introduction of the 2003 CL-S 6 speed, a few other major players have been introduced in the sports coupe market. there is no way i could ever understand or justify how anyone would want to go from a 2002 CL-S to a 2003 6 speed CL-S when there are cars like the G35 6 speed, accord 6 speed w/navi, 350Z 6 speed available. those cars for roughly the same price (or cheaper) offer much more than a 2003 CL-S 6 speed, not to mention its a NEW, FRESH car..not the SAME CAR you already have with a different shift knob and tail lights.

all you guys do what you want, im not trying to dog on people who traded up from a 2001 or 2002 CL-S but personally i couldnt do it, id want a change of pace, something fresh.

scrib, i dont know youre personallity all that well, but if it were me, id be looking at a G35 coupe 6 speed, no question. no way id ever buy 2 of the same brand new cars

Slimey

Great - sounds like you have a level head about it and the 'rules' have been set to the dealer.

I hope they do it for you. It really is a great car.

Bluto

Do you want an ACURA with a manual, or just a manual? If you really like everything about the CL, do it now. Try to sell you car privately and work a better deal on the new car. Not having a trade makes it easier.

I'm not sure what type of price you can get on other cars YOU would consider with a manual in Chicago (I'd look at the G35, G35C, IS300, 350Z, A4, 330, & TSX). But if you are keeping the car for a couple years, I'd test drive a few other cars first. Prices on other cars will come down, but the CL is done for sure.


Opps, forgot the TSX.

Shawn S

Jim, you’re NEVER going to understand or win this argument so quit bringing it up.
The car is TOTALLY different with the 6-Speed.
The 2001/2002 is a GREAT car with a major flaw. The 6-Speed fixes this.

When I was the only one here who did the swap it was hard to prove, but considering there are probably 25 or so of us here now you’re a bit outnumbered.
Plus there are probably another 250 easy who would swap if it didn’t cost so much.

Shawn S

123456SPEED

Jimco, I've driven some of the cars you mention, and nothing beats the CLS for what you get at the price. The G35 coupe looks nice outside, inside it's a sub compact, no room in front or back or in the trunk, not as nice or luxo as the CL interior IMO, and cost a lot more. I drove the Accord 6 speed ,very nice but I like the Acura better. The z is a sports car, again, no room, no back seat, no lux, rough ride.
To me these cars do not have what the CLs offers and I wouldn't buy those. I like the CL price, comfort, some luxury, interior design, lots of features. Nothing really offers waht the CLS does, with the 6 speed. IMHO. Those other cars are for different buyers, not me. Even Toyota doesn't offer a 2 door with this engine 6 speed setup, at this price.

Shawn S

Coming here and asking for sane advice is like an alcoholic going to a Wine & Spirit’s store and asking if he should give up drinking.

Shawn S

Scrib

Wasn't it just a few weeks ago, Lou was going through this same issue???

Seems to be spreading??? SARS (Sudden Auto-tranny Remorse Syndrome) anyone???

jimcol711

hey man, like i said, im not doggin on anyone here, you wanted the 6 speed CL-S after owning a 2001, thats cool, youre money, you do what ya want


on the flipside to your coin however, is the ever-growing number of CL-S owners who have swapped out to the 350Z, G35 coupe/sedan, BMW 3 series, Audi A4, etc. these people found their manual transmission needs filled in cars, not to mention got that FRESH feeling that im describing.

to the nit-picky enthusiast, sure, you can list off the 2003 differences over the 2002 not including the tranny. but as much as the transmission change may make the car that much more fun, its still the exact same car. you use the same key FOB (well, 2002 had that one anyways) to open the same door with the same glass and you sit in the same seat, look at the same gauges with the same navi and the same stereo and the same climate control. the outside has the same paint options, same stance, same tires (ill stop here but i could keep going)

to me part of the joy of a new car is seeing something totally new and fresh. thats where my money would go, no question.

jimcol711

the one car to me that really stands out is the G35C. its got balls out more power and torque than a CL-S 6 speed, its exterior styling is absolutely beautiful. the brembos are an incredible upgrade. the rims are awesome. the handling absolutely slaughters a CL-S, and the navigation pop up screen is some of the pimpest shit out in a factory navigation system...watching that screen "rise to the occasion" is cool as hell.

additionally, all this talk about the lack of backseat room....come on, how many times do most of us ever have people in the back of the CL-S anyhow????? and if youve got people in and out of your backseat all the time, why not get a 4 door??? i for one, had my CL-S for a year and on the grave of my dead grandfather, i had people in my backseat MAYBE 3-4 times in that entire year. my backseats were still TOIT like a tiger!! never even sat in basically. i never even had to vaccum the floor back there.

bottom line is that dissing the G35C for its lack of rear seat is pretty lame because anyone who has a use for the backseat of a coupe on a regular basis shouldnt get a coupe to begin with.

if i had the money, i wouldve bought a G35 in a heartbeat. but my finances (and my common sense and better judgement) did not allow it

scrib, obviously, if you need to take a loan out to get a G35, youd be looking at less than a 10k loan for a fully loaded G35C if you say youve got 5-7k in cash and a free-and-clear CL-S worth about 20. a 8-10k loan over 3 years at 2.9% is like 150 a month, any joe shmoe can pull that!!!! or you could bump it into a 1 year loan and make higher payments but knock it out in 12-16 months.

G35C has my vote, hands down.

Shawn S

Don’t forget to mention that awesome 1980’s NISSAN SENTRA interior.


Shawn S

'03CL&'03AV6EX

Do it! The time is right. The dealers, at least in Oregon, are really dealing. The inventory for 6mt is high. The dealers are paying the banks to finance their high inventories. They would rather sell you a car at a lower price than pay for their floor plan. Go and make demands on the dealer.

Scrib

'03CL&'03AV6EX -

What's the going rpice out that way for a 6spd with NAVI? I wonder if they'll offer me a good trade value but give me $500 off sticker or something insane. I wish I had hard numbers to present them with.




All the OPINIONS stated here have been great so far. I'm taking them all into consideration. I do appreciate all the input!

cls-6mt

The main reason I chose the 2003 Acura 6-speed is the performance, near-luxury, and fun factor- all at a affordable price.

I could've taken out a loan for 35k+ to get the G35C (my other option) or even a 350Z, but in the end, I trust a 2nd generation car, wanted low insurance payments, and wanted to drive a low-profile car.

Scrib, if you can get it, go for the 6-speed. I have the Anthracite and it rocks.

Just my thoughts.

Aegean_Blue6

Sure, I'd agree that the G35c is a nicer car in many respects, RWD, Brembos, 3.5L, etc., but you do also pay a decent chunk of cash more for it. There's mods that will close the gap between the 2 cars, and it sounds like Scrib already has a couple of these, so there's a big plus to upgrading the CL to the 6-spd.

For me when I was looking, the $6K extra, plus the lack of trunk room for my hockey stuff, camping gear or whatever else made the deal, the extra back seat room was only a bonus - but personally I've used it more than I expected I would.

123456SPEED

It's personal preference, and I like Acura coupes. I don't always need an entirely new sensation. I had a prelude and 2 Acura Legend Coupes before and would have considered a third one (with low miles and 6 speed, but couldn't find one!). So everyone has different needs in a car. For me I like to stay with Honda products, never had a Nissan or even a Toyota, and the CLS hits the sweet spot for me, but needs better color combos, (higher cost), like the Germans. The best German cars are above $45k, I don't want a 3 series or a A4, too small. I did consider a 330 coupe but it would be $10k more, not worth it to me. I like the relative rarity of the Acura coupes too, only about 2-3000 of the Legend 6 speeds were made.

joeandcarol2

I think the BIG question is; DO YOU LIKE TO SHIFT? Have you owned manuals in the past. If you are thinking about it just for a performance edge don't do it. You are either a manual kinka guy or you are not.. If you are not, shifting will be an everday chore.

Scrib

Great point...

I haven't ever owned a manual transmission before. FWIW, I do use SS 99% of the time and do enjoy "controlling" the gears, albeit in slushbox fashion.

I'm not concerned about me as much as I am my wife. She's never even driven one before. Whereas I have, and while I may not even remotely good at it, I understand the concepts and ideas. She's a different story...

dfreder371

Whatever you do, you had better do it quick before the supply is exhausted.

ktgumbo

Would u guys consider buying a USED 6spd? I have pondered about this, but since the clutch in not under warranty and can potentially go out at any time, is this a wise choice? The biggest advantage is the 5/62k warranty and the 100k powertrain coverage, as i have on my CL-P that i bought used. Let say a 2003 with like 10k on the odom. If you can find one for like $27-$29k with Nav would that be an option for you guys? Or just buy a brand new one for like $31-32.

Jayhawk1

Dont delay; do it today. You will lose cash, no doubt. But I have to tell you--as Shawn S has said--the 6spd is really different. It has greater balance and hands down greater performance. I had the dealer take the sways off my 01 CLS and put them on the 6spd. Two hours of labor, approximately. So multiply by your dealers labor rate and there you go. I had some doubts about it after the fact---for about 3 days---and then said to hell with it, this is the way the car should have left the factory 3 years ago. Its a great sports coupe with superb luxury features; although the G35 is also impressive, I prefer the CL. Really comes down to personal preference. Like why I ride a Triumph Bonneville, when everyone around me has Harleys.

George in PA

joeandcarol2

You know, I drove the G35 six speed. The CL-S has a bad rap. I think its a more fun car to drive. The G35 has a TRUCK clutch. And the tranny is smoother and more fun to drive. With new sways, the CL-S may not corner quite as fast as a G35 but in my opinon its more FUN TO DRIVE.

'03CL&'03AV6EX

The Dealer, Ron Tonkin Acura, in Portland, OR has at last count 4 6MT with Navi and spoiler. They can be had at under $30,000. They are dealing. Of course to get a good price for your car you would not tell them that you have a trade in. Just negoiate as if it is a cash purchase after you reach an agreement then mention that you have a car to trade. Alls fair in love and car trading.

dfv3.2CL-S

iTrader: (1)

Do It, I Did the change and I dont regret it a bit. The 03 6spd is a different beast and handles much better and swaybars make a mark change in the car handling. Tires still suck but oh well!!. I got $ 21200 for my 01 CL-S with 11200miles , in this figure Iam including the tax savings that I saved on the 03 6spd, which normally is figured into the trade in figure that they normally give you. I got my 03 for $27499 its identical to my 01 color and interior. But beware of screw tactics with VIN etching and everthing other bullshit fee that they pullover. I did pay $290 for vin etching that was already on the car and since it was the only 6 spd in the white color on the lot I had to suck it up. Iam actually lower payment on my 03 compare to my 01. From $456 to $378 per month. I only owed 13k on my 01 at the time of trade.