Ok, this car is my first opportunity to drive a Japanese manual. Are all Japanese manuals this smooth?

I was noting today on the way home, that I can shift with just a couple of fingers! Even at redline, it shifts pretty easily.

Before the Acura, we had a '00 Mustang GT 5 speed. That car had 260 HP, 270 ftlbs of torque, and you had to really reef on the shifter when shifting at redline. More than once I made the motion, and the shifter didn't follow. I know that Tremec 5 speed is kind of crappy, but still.

I always assumed it was the 270 ft lbs of torque holding the tranny in gear, but the CL-S has 230 ftlbs, and it doesn't experience that.

Just curious. Apparently I've been missing out on the good things in life by driving domestics!

 

Cool SHIT...HUH

Shawn S

 

Before I bought my CL-S, I tested the 6-speed twice before I could make up my mind. I found the clutch too binding with no give. But, I suppose like anything else, you would get used to it. I like the clutch on the S2000 better. Also, here in Florida, there are too many old farts to get behind. You'd be shifting till your arm fell off. Honk the horn and they stop. Damn this time of the year. Go home! If you love N.Y., take I-95 North.

 

my only complaint about the 6speed tranny........ the clutch travel. I had the opportunity to drive an s2000 and a celica gts over the weekend. Overall, i love the 6speed tranny but clutch travel is a bit longer than the other two cars.

 

I think that honda/acura manuals are significantly better than other Japanese manuals... So the answer is no not all Japanese are this smooth.

 

can't that be adjusted? I'm pretty sure it can...

 

If there was a clutch cable yes, but since the CLS has a hydraulic clutch, nope

 

you think ours is bad, if you can get your hands on porsche at all, test drive one of those, ours is nothin compared to that

 

i hear they're heavy as fuck the cluthes on the porsches

 

Every Honda/Acura transmission I've had was smooth and always easy to shift. Even my father's first Accord back in '81 was smooth, but not as nice as those we have today.

Though I'm not 100% sure that the MTs in my 2 previous Preludes were actually built by Honda.....one might have been...Gerbach (sp)?

But not all Japanese cars have nice MTs in them. I test drove an Eclipse years ago (93) and HATED the MT. Too much throw, felt like crap.

I've also driven a (early 90's) Mustang 5.0 5-speed. Rough shifting to be sure. Not for the weak or timid. Didn't feel as refined.

 

The tranny is smooth ain't it ??

My only problem with the 6spd tranny is that I have some issues with shifting into first (not smooth, but notchy). I'm don't think this is a design issue, but just a problem with my car. Since I only have 1600 miles on the car I'm hoping that the 1st gear issue something that'll work itself out with use. If not, I'll complain to the dealer about it when I get my first oil change. The rest of the gears are like butter

 

The only car I have driven that was even close to the CL's smoothness was a 2002 RSX S. My little sister drives a 01 Mustang GT, and i have to say it sucks ass. I was torn between the new Cobra and my Cl. But I had read that the Cobra was worse that the GT's, so here I am on the CL forum now. I chose refinement over brute force.

 

I almost traded in my 01 for the 03 6 speed, but too bad I drove the s2k earlier that day... I'm now saving a down payment for that instead and keeping my slushbox for daily driving.

 

Oh yeh. Makes you want to bang some gears!

BTW, my 1st gear is still notchy (at 3000 miles). Other than that, and getting used to the clutch, she's a real joy to drive.

My friend had a good point about the Honda tranny though. Really smooth, but probably won't handle the HP/TQ of say a Mustang or Camaro....

Oh well, if I wan't to shift a truck tranny, I'd have bought a truck!

 

Good choice. We ditched out '00 Mustang GT P.O.S. for a '01 CL-S. My wife was sad for a bit (she liked the look of the Mustang), but after a month in the CL-S, she couldn't remember that shit box.....