Timmy18

So later on if I decide to make and spend the money (lol) I've been thinking about getting a 2003 Acura CL-S.

There are a two locals who are asking $6,500 and $4,440.

Both are CBP 6 Speeds which are in excellent condition and have 135K miles on one and 220K miles on the other. Both stock and mechanically sond.

I like the CL, would only have it in the Type-S 6 speed combo. Prefer Black or Silver with the black in interior only, but only one (the more expensive one) matches that combo. I don't really mind the tan, but that;s what our TSX has and I want something bit different every now and then.

Neither have the factory Spoiler or fog lights. Lame. So If I do pick one up, I'll be adding those when I can and later HID illusionz headlights. I'll also like to convert the interior lighting into mostly white LED's with the blue-ish Purple white LED back light gauges and make the Radio/ HVAC/ Odometer screens blue and not the orange color the are. How do I do that? I've heard of it being done before but have never found a official DIY.

Also, how bad is wind noise in the CL and how 'good' is the stock stereo system and what are some AUX adapters I can install? Also, if i decide on getting one, it will be my first Manual car! So how hard do you think it is to learn in the CL-S?


This wont be a over night "I bought a CL-S, guys!!" so don't get upset if it's not another 2 years before I break the news. Just a thought I'd like to make a move on in the near future sometime, so give me your opinions and suggestions on what I should do and how to go about doing it. Thanks guys.

Slobo7x

You should buy mine in classifieds, slightly more but way less miles and all service has been done.. Has nav too

Timmy18

Of course the perfect combo and condition Acura CL-S is going to be a day's drive away.

I swear, NC sucks when it comes to finding the good used cars. haha.


If I had the money I would come take it right now. Honest.

Tosh

Get a loan and buy slobo's! What's a day's drive when it comes to your dream car? Those 6-spds are rare enough, and his is low miles. If you wait, the miles on your future baby keep piling up....
And as for prices, here's my rule of thumb for miles: 1000 fewer miles is worth $100 more ($0.10 per mile), so that makes slobo's ~93000 miles worth $4200 more than the one with 135,000 miles, and he's only asking $7000....

Slobo7x

lol

Shipping is about $600 I think..

Oldsman71

iTrader: (1)

I flew to Florida from Kansas and drove back 1400 miles when I got mine. It was a nice 3 day weekend. Slobos' looks like a good buy. Might want to find out what part of country his came from. If its a northeastern car you need to careful of possible rust starting.

Timmy18

Thanks guys. I need to money first!

And yeah, I'm very skeptical about Northeastern cars.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

FYI 2nd Gen CL's are NBP Nighthawk Black Pearl not CBP and Missouri is in the Midwest not the Northeast.

Timmy18

^ My fault, I was in a hurry and totally let that slip.

Oldsman71 was just point out that the car could be form the NE. I know where MO is. Car's do travel and Solo is the second owner and I haven't requested the Vin # to check it's origins so...

Slobo7x

I don't mind sharing the VIN, lol

Just let me know if you are interested..

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

2 years out & don't have $ now? Going to be a different market by then.
It's a good car. Parts are getting harder to find though. In 2 years who knows.
May have trouble finding a 6MT in 2 years. With the limited run of a now 10 year old car....I can't imagine too many 6MT's are left on the roads.

Timmy18

I am interested but it will not be a over night thing. More like several months at the soonest.

mikebikelife

iTrader: (3)

Mines a slavage title silver on black navi 6mt , I paid $5200 and made a 14 hour round trip , well worth it ! Love this car so much .

Car is easy to drive you'll get the hang of a manual .

Fog lights are a 01/02 options all 03's come with the black plastic non-functional vents .

Good luck finding oem fogs also .

likeawp

iTrader: (1)

I've been an owner for a CLS6 for 1.5 years now. It's a great car to own. The wind noise during cruising is quiet, not dead Lexus-status quiet but better than what you may experience on other sport compact vehicles. The manual transmission is very easy to operate, a must-do mod is the hybrid racing shifting bushing because it makes the shifting feel very notchy and precise.

It is a heavy car, so expect low miles in heavy traffic, I always get 300 miles on 14 gallons commuting to work in stop and go traffic for 10 miles, so that gives you an idea. My car came with aftermarket stereo and amplifier so I cannot review the stock audio system.

What I like most about this car is that it gets no attention from anybody. Cops do not even look at the car when I drive pass them even though it is loud (exhaust). It doesn't have the vibe of an import racer vehicle due to it's smooth body lines, and I rarely see any other CL on the road. Just my , hope it helps.

Timmy18

I'm really hoping that I start making money within the next week or so. If not I'll be kicking my self in the A$$ harder than I am now for not saving up like everyone's told me to do so over the years.

One thing I don't like about the CL is the styling. It's too soft, like a warn soap bar. Wished it had a few more harder lines like on the '03 TL but I guess it needed to be a bit more different.

Either way, I still want one and know that it will look better then I think in person, especially in black. And with the wish list mods I plan to bring it into the modern day through a LED Interior swap, some Projector Headlights and wheels from Acura to name a few will compensate for it. Keeping it clean and simple. Probably just a CAI and Magnaflows as far as performance goes.


I am nervous about getting into a manual, though I've always wanted one and have the basics down on how to drive one. Plus Honda's are the easiest, more precise ones to learn in so I'm told, so that's good. I look at it in a way that 40% of the kids at my school are driving them and a good 15% of them are girls so why can't I?? haha

gplayer

Buy it. Buy it now. I just bought one, and Im in love. It does look a lot better in person. Mine has a ton of little dings and dents, and it still looks sexy.

The stock audio system is okay, I only wish it had a sub in the rear deck like the TL of that year. It lacks really good bass, but everything else is crystal clear. I would just suggest buying a cassette-3.5 jack adapter if you want aux in.

I cant tell you how easy it is to learn manual in a CL-S, because I knew stick a long time before I drove a CL-S. I am currently recovering from a broken hand, and I'm having no trouble shifting, so if a cripple can do it, you can too The shift motion is really smooth and buttery, and the clutch take-up is short, but accurate. I wouldn't imagine you'd have to many problems.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

May want to search around the aftermarket. Last I saw there was nothing for replacement headlights out there except stock. The factory spoilers are discontinued.
Like I said parts may be a problem.
The factory Bose blows.....Will need to at least add a sub to make it sound better.
Look over the FAQ if you haven't. Will give you directions on where to go for what mods your planning.
https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-2001-2003-50/%2A%2A%2A-official-2nd-gen-cl-information-thread-%2A%2A%2A-480087/

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I just sold mine about a month ago. It was a good car, the fact that I've owned it for 5+ years speaks volumes. I typically have a turnover rate of 1.5 years per car, so...

They call is a BLose system for a reason.

Keep in mind, aftermarket performance/aesthetic items are few and far between for this car. Many suspension parts are shared with the 6G Accord though, which does help.

I've always loved the interior styling of the CL, even with the dashboard "shrinkage" issue they all seem to eventually suffer from.

With the dual mass flywheel and the clutch damping device, it's a very easy car to drive if you're new to it. But I can assure you that once you gain the confidence to drive aggressively, you will grow to despise the CDD and rip it out. It's an easy procedure, so long as the bolts/nuts aren't stripped.

What is your ultimate goal for the car? Comfortable transportation? If so, definitely get one. It shortens road trips, and the J series is damn near bulletproof. Just make sure the 105k service has been performed, even if it has less than 105k miles on it. Its a 10 year old belt and tensioner that we're talking about, and that could lead to nasty circumstances.

I'd go into some of the deficiencies of this, but I'm sure some members would flame me for it, so I'll refrain - for the moment at least.