Hi my name is Frank and I’ve been hiding out in the background for a week now while I have been actively searching for an Acura CL on Autotrader and CL. I found a 2003 Cl Type S with Manual Transmission with 78K miles on the clock. The timing belt and water pump and etc have not been serviced and I would go as far to say that not much has been done to this car. It was owned by a female Pharmacist since 35K miles.

I am grad student and currently studying for exams and short on time with being able to do further research but the CarFax is clean and its a 6speed. I did read about the 3rd gear synch TSB and was wondering if this happened to all CLS 6 speed? Any other things I should be looking for? This is my firs manual car after a long hiatus with my automatic mustang gt. Thanks for any advice and I included pictures of the car.... shes a looker!! (pictures might not work... but its a clean silver on black leather)

 

I forgot to say the price is 7.5K

 

7500 is a good price.

 

So I will talk them down to 6,800 then for a better price lol

In all seriousness is this a right move with this car? Is it reliable? I keep reading great reviews and my brother has a 1999 TL with 195K even though the automatic tranny went on him the other week. Are there any major issues with the 6speed version and how frequent is the 3rd gear issue. Sorry I am throwing a lot of questions at ya. I feel like your my lifeline to making a right 7K investment lol

 

that's a sick deal if it's a clean title. you can prolong the timing belt/water pump service for another 20k, even more if you want to. you're also probably going to need a new clutch by then too assuming it's still the original. that's about $2k right there.

the 6-speed is as reliable as it gets. i've never had the 3rd gear synchro issues. i think it depends on how you drive. but if you've never driven a manual before this definitely won't be the easiest car to learn on.

 

I can tell you first hand that Carfax isn't reliable I know 5 people that bought or sold cars where accidents weren't listed on the Carfax at all you could use it as a guide but I wouldn't suggest you base your decision solely on that info. Ask a lot of questions and make sure the answers are adding up and if you have a buddy that does body work they might be able to tell if it has been worked on. If the interior is good and the car has been taken care to your satisfaction then 7.5K or less is not much to risk for this car.

 

THanks for the response. I’ve read that this car shift real smooth... why do you say its going to be hard? 2K for clutch...

 

I hear ya on that. I totaled a MarkViii years back and I actually got the title back without any salvage/junk marks. I’ve been shopping for a while now and happened to come across this car. Any opinions on this particular make?

 

More pictures. Maybe your eyes can see something I haven’t picked up. Also, on the door there is a slight separation between the power panel and the leather...easy fix?








http://www.alomejor.com/acura/conten...877_large.html

 

hhmmm pictures didn’t come out as expected

 

well i drove a 4 cylinder manual before this car, so the dosage of torque took a while to adjust! but you say you're coming from a mustang GT so maybe you'll be alright. bad motor mounts could make the shifts jerky, get used to wheel hop off the line and torque steer among other things.

i meant it should be around 2k for timing belt/water pump/clutch parts + labour.

 

I think you are getting the 3rd gear clutch pack and synchro mixed up. The auto's had huge failures with the 3rd gear clutch pack overheating and failing...the manuals are SOLID cars. I am one of those people who did buy a clean carfax car that had been in a serious wreck...so, yeah, carfax isn't 100%, but it's the best we've got. Also, $7500 is an amazing price at that mileage.

 

my god that thing looks like it's on stilts !!
either way tho i'd but it after haggling off a G or so.

haggle first... then look at car again, and find more things u need to fix and then re-haggle back to the price u wanted originally. :-)

 

Great price...I would jump on that deal. New clutch may not be needed yet...I think there are many owners still on their original clutch. Check to see if the brakes are warped...that might get you a few bucks off the price.

 

like ^^ he said, your clutch can likely go 150K+, so don't sweat that unless you feel any slipping. since the TB/water pump needs to be done, use that to negotiate $500-750 off the price if you can. Then seriously, if you just made the investment, do yourself a favor and find a vendor here, buy the Timing Belt special (see Del Ray Acura on here) and get it done asap. Spend the $500-700 now to get it done, instead of risking it and spending $3K+ later after the timing belt snaps and seizes your engine. you may have low miles, but the age warrants replacement.

check with dealer to ensure recalls have been done (Air bag, SRS, power steering, etc.). drain and refill all fluids and then buy some suspension upgrades and drop that 4x4 and turn it into an actual 2 door coupe

also, consider coils instead of springs. 6 speeds cause a slight imbalance where the front rides higher and adjustable coils will help address that. take it from someone who already made the mistake!

good luck, nice pickup!

 

Thats a good price assuming theres nothing wrong. I sadly sold mine a few months ago for 8200 with 89k miles. The 6 speeds are bulletproof.

 

Good price. Seems to be a respectable used CLS. If I was in the market, I'd drive it, look it over & get it if things add up. The armrest thing is normal. There's a TSB on that & a post on how to fix it permanently in the FAQ.

There is a TSB on a 6MT 3rd gear grind. It did not effect all cars. Mine never had it. You can change over to the new Honda MT fluid & that should take care of most shifting issues should the arise.

 

If the 105k service has not been done, its a bit expensive IMO. Be prepared to drop $6-1200 on that service alone.

The door panel issue is a normal fault. There is a DIY involving Gorrila Glue to fix it.

 

Awesome Awesome replies guys. I really appreciate the love in this community and hope to be an asset to you all.

Long story short I bought the car!!! @ 6,900!!! I would of preferred 6 or 6.5 but i talked HER (yes, female diver... must of been 100 pounds and like 5’3” lol) down from the original asking price which was 8K originally (before i posted the 7.5K figure) The car is really clean and a blast to drive

A few qualms though.

1. When I put my ear next to the driver back tire I hear a little noise like thuck thuck thuck (i love describing sounds over the internet). Is there a component in that are that produces this sound?

2. I’ve never heard an Acura’s engine before and I hear a tick tick tick (another great description) dead smack in the middle of the front of the engine (toward radiator). My brother who has an Acura says its normal. PCV valve?

3. When I turn the wheel to the right and give gas to make a turn I get a repetitive click click click until the wheel is semi straight. CV joint? Never had to replace one... a DIY or no?

Thats all I have to report at the moment. I have exams like crazy so I wont have too much time to do much to her in the next week or so but I will do a maintenance including timing belt and water pump.

I will open a new thread with pictures and progress!!!! SO EFFIN EXCITED

 

congrats! Post some pics, the problems you describe seem very minor so nothing to really worry about. I can only comment on the engine noise and tell you its normal lol, Honda valves tend to tick

 

Honda fuel injectors tick too.
The rear may just be an uneven rotor.

 

1. Do you get that sound as it's driving or when you're stationary and just pushing down on the rear end? Might want to upgrade the rear sway bar and get new bushings and end links while you're there. That sound could be bushings, broken end links or a blown shock.

2. These engines are a bit noisy on a good day. But ticking can be valves, injectors or it could be the purge solenoid. It's located near the firewall on the drivers side and if you put your finger on it you can feel it tick. Might want to consider doing a valve adjustment when you do the timing belt service.

3. sounds like a CV joint. If you see any rips in the rubber boot then it's probably toast. depends on your skill level, but probably something for a shop to do.

Grab a suspension setup and get rid of the 4x4 stance....and welcome!

 

Congrats! Now get that 105k service done.

Was she hot??

Evap

The valves and injectors on these cars are noisy by nature.

Axle. Its a simple job if you know how a wrench works. I suggest having air tools to break the axle nut free, but with a long enough breaker bar and the car on the ground, you can break it lose.

 

1. I hear the noise when the car is in neutral (6speed) and I step outside on put my ear between the tire and frame but it can be heard from about a foot away. I cannot hear it when I am in the car.

2. I’ll have a mechanic check it out. Any suggestions for South Florida area?

3. I figured it was that. I keep hearing about DelRay Acura for parts... reliable?

What is the 4x4 stance? I’m such a noob

BTW where is the timing belt located? Can I view it from just popping the hood? Also, what repair/ service manual would you recommend? I have so much to learn.

 

Helms manual

4x4 = Your car is so high it looks like a truck.

Talk to fuzzy about SoFla shops.

Del Ray has good reviews.

The timing belt is on the passenger side of the engine. You cannot see it just by popping the hood. Inspecting the belt still wont give you an idea of condition of the tensioner bearings or the water pump. These are interference engines, if the belt snaps or the tensioner fails, you are in for a large repair bill.

 

yes del ray is awesome. I ordered my TB parts from them.

4x4 stance refers to the wheel gap between car and wheels. you will see stock ride height is a solid 4+ inches, making it look lifted. many here buy lowering springs or adjustable coilovers to lower the car. how low you go is preference, looks vs performance and cost are factors to consider. as I noted before, if you go with lowering springs instead of coilvers, beware that the stance or ride height with springs may be uneven, as the 6 speeds are not as heavy up front as automatics, so the front will sit just slightly higher, thus why i advised coilovers instead so you can adjust the front just right and get an even stance.

manual = Helms

 

I’m not driving too much until i get the parts and the mechanic to do the job. The owner doesn’t know if it was done or not so I’m hoping my mechanic can verify the situation... it a be sweet to fin out it was done and to be able to drop some money on mods

 

Oh ok that makes sense. My last car which was a mustang came with a suspension drop and camber plates... man the ride was rough and I really enjoy the way this car feels FOR NOW lol. Will the drop change the way the car drives stock as far as smoothness on the road and going over bumps?

 

When I was dropped on stock wheels, it felt tight and more in control, while a very comfortable ride. Since then I upgraded to more of a low profile tire so it seems I feel every little bump much more than I used to but that's to be expected. But a drop will make it feel more sporty and not to loose in turns.

If you do lower the car, plan to buy a rear camber kit as well.

 

cartek tuning.... Google it. Off 595/university.
Delray is ok for parts. They have a Acurazine coupon code that gets you a discount. And you can save on shipping by local pickup.

 

Congrats on the pick up! Hope you enjoy it!

 

I’ll see what I will do as far as a drop is concerned. I haven’t noticed the stance too much but damn she is a sexy car. I neglected some of my studies to drive around a few miles. I still need to bring it to the mechanic for the belt and pump check before I see what she got lol

 

I’ll look into them. Thanks!

They did my 105K service. Honestly I would not worry about it for now. If your in the Boca area sometime I'll be happy to drive it & tell you if there's really anything to be concerned about.