03bl AC k CL

Hey, im brand new to the forums, anyway, i currently have a 2000 maxima SE with 94XXX miles. Im debating on whether or not to make the switch to an 03 CL with only 21XXX miles. An acura dealership called me and told me they got one in so i was going to take a look at it. Im looking to you guys to convince me to make the switch lol. i love my maxima but its time for something new. Is the cl faster? is the ride smoother? im just looking to be persuaded lol, but i prefer only people who know something about both cars respond... please post 0-60 times if possible, etc. I looked everywhere and cant find anything. sorry for the long post, lol I just love the cl and wanted to know if the extra money is worthwhile for what im getting with it. thanks guys.

All Mine

Is it a CL-S, or just a CL? The CL-S would be a little faster than your Max, but the CL wouldn't be, if that's what you're worried about.

03bl AC k CL

im pretty sure its the regular cl. there was only a message on my machine so there wasnt much in terms of details. I know its a black cl with 21,XXX miles. Now, the regular cl might not be any faster, but is it slower, or am i going to feel about the same in terms of speed? the drive is about 30-40 mins from my house so i know i could go test drive it but id rather get an idea what im getting into before i make the trip. thanks for your help.

609CLTYPES

im not to sure about that, my brother had a 99 Maxima SE, he traded it for the TL-P and the tl was faster.... who knows, maybe it was just his car though

CL Platano

The CL is faster or the same but the Maxima has more torque.

609CLTYPES

very true about the torque, i noticed that... but once the cl or tl is in vtec they move out pretty good

03bl AC k CL

well the 99 maxima had 190hp compared to the 2000 that had 222hp... so i dont know... but my dad used to have an 03 tl (not type s) which i used to drive and that was just as quick as my maxima and a smoother ride... maybe you guys can tell me how the cl compares to the tl, and that would give me a good idea of how the car rides... thanks again for all the input guys.

609CLTYPES

i know my cl-s is reaaaal smooth, thats what made me buy the car i thought
"damn this car moves, and its smooth as shyt"
they look, and drive like they cost alot more $$$ than they sell for...

pits200

Same car, the P series has a softer quieter ride. While the S has stiffer suspension and sportier rims and higher compression. The S uses 91 octane gas were as the P can run off of 87. Honestly, if you looked, you could find a great deal on a Type S instead of settling for the P. I have a TL-P and a CL-S, if I was an old grandma only driving on the highways I would take the P, but for all around driving, the CL-S wins hands down.

Now comparing it with the Maxima, it depends if you want an upgrade in speed and handling or an upgrade in comfort. The TL-P is much more comfortable and about the same speed, but it wont handle as good as the maxima. The CL-S will be about the same comfort, but will handle better and be a good amount faster than the Maxima. 0-60 is about 5.9 in my CL-S. My TL-P is about 6.9

03bl AC k CL

ok great thanks for everyones help... i am going to go to the dealer and test driving it soon... hopefully everything works out and i'll be a proud new owner of a cl... also im going to look into tl's ... i am definitely going to keep an eye open for type-s models. Im looking to spen under $17,500... do you guys think ill have much luck finding a fairly low mileage type-s in that price range?

123456SPEED

Most car enthusiasts prefer the Type S. and of course, the 6 speed version!

609CLTYPES

you should find something in that price range... i got mines for 17,000.00
but since i got paid 11,???.00 when my integra got stolen, i put down 10,000.00

Viscous

99 maxima's were the slowest of the 4th generation ones because of some extra emissions equipment added for only that year I think. The 95-96's were the fastest because they were lightest in overall weight.

The 00's have a variable intake manifold so they'll have a better chance keeping up with a CL-P, but all 4th gens had the UDSM cruddy manifold that was a real airflow restrictor above 5k rpm.

That being said, only the 5spds Maxes would have any chance. The autos are weak.

But performance isn't the only reason why you'd want to buy the car anyways. The CL is a pretty nice car overall, you'll probably like it more than the Max. The seats are defiinitely more comfy. As far as a TL vs CL comparo goes, I'll let the TLer's chime in for that.

03bl AC k CL

well im going to be putting down around 11k between some money i saved for a car + im expecting about 8k for my car... so financing about 6-7k really wont be a problem... but anything more will be tough since im starting college and i cant devote 100% of my time to work... its tough when mom n dad doesnt buy anything for me :-P haha... but anyway... ive been keeping my eyes open for an acura ever since my dads lease on his tl was up.. i love that car im looking to get into something similar .... im just hoping this car im looking into is a type-s.... last time i found a type s cl... i went to test drive it and there was a down payment on it already :-/



...EDIT: what do you guys average in gas mileage... i know in the winter im usually at about 19.XXX-20 mpg and the summer im at about 22 in the maxima.... (using 93 octane)

609CLTYPES

good luck with the car, hopefully its a type s... if its not, shoot the salesmen in the face lol

609CLTYPES

its about the same, or more actually, depending how you drive

03bl AC k CL

haha thanks for the good luck wishes... and i tend to vary drastically with my driving... im either really big on accelerating and driving aggressive.... or im like an old man... haha it depends on my mood

AcUrAge703

Thats really why i bought my cl-s 6spd.....they look like their supposed to be in line with bmw's and mercedez....but cost half as much...and still have the keep up speed(stock) and if modded they eat a lot of cars ......now compared to a tl you gotta want to know how much comfort you want.....

tl is a 4 door car....more leg room and space
cl is 2 doors....good leg room with no one behind you unless your like 4ft...or they are....

but you can find a nice type-s 6 spd with low miles for under 18 depending on where you live....i say really really look for that.....

609CLTYPES

thats pretty much how i am, since im customizing my wheels, im driving on a donut so im driving like a bitch right now lol

03bl AC k CL

well im 5'10 190 lbs so im not small... but im also not huge... and ive driven my friends 05 accord v6 coupe and i am comfortable in that so im not too worried about the room in the cl... and as for the passengers... screw 'em if they dont like it they can drive ... less money for gas for me haha

AcUrAge703

then u need a CL.....cuz thats the attitude that persuaded me to get it.....why should i worry bout them....its all about me...lol....

my cl is pretty good on the gas tho...i get a full 7 day week out of it...and i drive to work and pick up friends a whole lot....and drive around...

03bl AC k CL

well the cl n tl are my 2 options im not considering anything else lol... basically price and mileage of the cars i find will make my decision for me whether i go with the tl or cl... oh and if its black haha... but 1 quick question.... is there the same tranny problem for the 2003 cl + tl as there was for the previous years? and if so is it as big of a problem??

AcUrAge703

i think...(by reading a lot of these post) its the auto's of the earlier years...i havent heard of anything of 6spd in all 3 years...

correct me if im wrong....

03bl AC k CL

well ive heard lots of complaints for the earlier years... i just didnt know if the problem was fixed by '03 or not... i certainly dont hear as many complaints about the 03's so thats why im curious... and also consumer reports gave terrible ratings to the cl and tl's tranny prior to '03 but the 03 ones got good ratings... so idk.. but a lot of experts are on these boards.. so im asking you guys haha... as far as the 6 speed im pretty sure that wasnt available until 03 anyway

sayanythingrock

nissan interior is crap

F23A4

As a 5.5G Maxima owner that has driven the 3.2TL on several occassions, I definitely think the TL/CL is nicer than the Maxima (and slightly nicer than the Infiniti I30/I35). The Acuras are definitely more refined than any Maxima produced to date.

I would make the move. Just check with your insurance company and confirm how much of a premium increase you can expect from the upgrade.

typeR

the CL type S is slow

CL Platano

Buy Ravi's ABP or Mr.Steve's 6spd

Viscous

My brother's 12 year old Maxima has less rattles and annoying issues than my '03 CL. The 2G TL and CL's interiors aren't so special either for a car that costs $8K more in msrp.

pits200

Just cause your car rattles, that doesnt say much about the car. All the interior needs is some foam insulation in the right areas, takes about 20 minutes and the rattles are gone.

Learn how to take care of your car and you wont have rattles everywhere.

03bl AC k CL

well i have to say my dad currently drives an 05 maxima SL.. he says its better than his 03 tl... i dont know how comparable the two are since they are two different generations of a car... but i have to say the 05 max is a great car, but i personally prefer the acura, and the smoothness that comes with the ride... honestly my only complaint about the acura is the seats... i dont know how any of you feel about your CL seats, but i know the TL's seats wrinkled quite a bit, and even began to show a rip on the drivers side... am i going to expect a lot of the same with the cl or are the seats a little different?

Viscous

Learning how to "take care" of the car is not the point here. The point is that this is an entry level luxury car, and it should not have so many small fit and finish problems. Why would anyone want to be wasting their time putting foam insulation all around a car for rattles when it shouldn't have that many in the first place?

pits200

Who cares, look at what you get for the money. I will take a couple rattles that can be fixed for 5 dollars and have a car that overall no other car can even touch it for the money. You make it sound like your gonna die by spending a little time working on your car.

I am not saying we have the greatest car ever, but its no slouch if you actually take care of your car and don't just abuse it like I know alot of people do.

6spdNYCL

I went from a 2000 SE 5spd to a 2003 CL-S 6spd...

I also had 6.. that's right, six maximas, 3rd, 4th and 5th generations, automatics and 5/6speeds and obviously know quite a bit about those cars.


My maxima had 140k miles.. i had no problems until the differential bearings in the tranny went.. but otherwise it was very solid and reliable.


General comparison knowing both cars..


Maxima is:
-more reliable.. (i had more problems with my CL-S than ALL of my maximas combined.. and i only had this fuckin car for 3-4 months).. in general, i see a lot of stupid issues that people have on this forum which I never saw on maximas.. and these things have not been around for long and most people on here have very little miles on their cars.. while there are maximas out there with 150-300k and more running strong and still not having as many issues.. they are just more reliable cars in my opinion. People think you get a super reliable vehicle with a Honda/Acura 100% of the time and they are the best out there, i'd argue that nissans are just as reliable overall.
-less maintenance hassle... no valve adjustment needed, no timing belts to change (they have a chain), just change oil and fluids, do brakes and change tires and spark plugs and you're good to go for the lifetime of the car.
-auto tranny is a lot more solid.
-cheaper to fix.. cheaper parts, cheaper labor.


CL-S:
-better quality interior
-better design, craftsmanship..
-more 'refined' and better put together..
-less reliable, requires more maintenance and upkeep
-less torque but more top end power
-the gearbox is excellent compared to the maxima gearboxes. The Maxima is a pain in the ass to shift, clutch is heavier, not as precise..
-car is more rare.. million maximas on the road.. few CL-Ss..

I may be bias because I can't find the cause of some issues i had on this car with only 80k miles, whille i had more miles on each of my maximas, 3 of them had 130-150k... and still no problems or maintenance needed.

pits200

I just dont understand all the issues with the CL-S. I mean, my car has 95,000 miles on it and I never changed the alternator, never changed any ball joints, never changed any axles, never changed any belts till I went with the UR pulley, and I never had any valve adjustments.

I think its possible that people over analyze their problems, but on the same hand, I can imagine that many little problems do exist with the CL-S. Unfortunately, if your not car savy, then I can see how all these little hassle can pile up and be an annoyance.

6spdNYCL

In 2003 you could buy a 3.5L Maxima with every option that the CL type S has and more (ie: heated steering wheel, one touch sunroof). Yes, they came with LSD, and navigation as well. And everything else the CL-S has. 03 6spd Maximas were also no slouches and are 300 lbs lighter and probably even a bit faster than the CL-S out the box. So I would argue that the maxima is a better value and you get more for your money, new or used.




oh yeah, the CL-S also handles better and has a better steering feel compared to the maxima.

why can't we edit our posts after like 5 minutes passed? That's retarded.

6spdNYCL

In 2003 you could buy a 3.5L Maxima with every option that the CL type S has and more (ie: heated steering wheel, one touch sunroof) and the car would cost less..... like someone mentioned the msrp is far less than the CL. Yes, they came with LSD, and navigation as well. And everything else the CL-S has. 03 6spd Maximas were also no slouches and are 300 lbs lighter and probably even a bit faster than the CL-S out the box. So I would argue that the maxima is a better value and you get more for your money, new or used.




oh yeah, the CL-S also handles better and has a better steering feel compared to the maxima.

why can't we edit our posts after like 5 minutes passed? That's retarded.

belcom

iTrader: (1)

I will be trading my 01 CLS shortly for a 6-speed 02 Maxima SE. Maxima interior is not that bad especially for 02-03 there are some improvements. I don't persoanlly give a flying f*ck about my CL interior being more refined when it has piece of shit tranny. although it didn't fail yet I can feel it's going to do it shortly after 160,000kms (at 150 right now). 03 CLS 6-speed are pretty expensive also. the Maxima is going to cost around 17,000CDN. Where the 03 CLS would be next to impossible to find and price would be high enough for me not to consider it (22k-25kCDN range). The max doesn't need any variable timing to produce it's torque and horses either. I think mechanically the max is better except the suspension which most enthusiasts change anyway so that's not an issue.

So my suggestion to you man is get a 02-03 maxima with 6-speed and be done with it. most Acura fans (not all) here will suggest you to buy acura because simply they don't like the idea of a non-honda/acura vehicles.

On the other hand if you got tons of cash to throw around maybe looking for 03 CLS 6-speed isn't such a bad idea. But remember DO NOT buy auto CLS it is potentially a big problem and will make you sell it later on.

did I mention the HIDs on the max have better output than 01-03 acura CL/TL also... and the fogs are actually functional.

belcom

iTrader: (1)

I don't like how my CLS handles stock. body lean is significant and if you push it harder the VSA kicks in. Just doesn't feel right how it turns. The maxima feels flatter in the corners and the cornering feel is better, the wheels go where they're supposed to go. (I drive my brother's 01 SE once in a while). if you put some H&R sports and illumina struts on it the handling will be perfect.

belcom

iTrader: (1)

how's this for a 4 door family sedan?