stephengt2

Im new here but knew you guys would be able to give me some "expert" insight on my new purchase. I am thinking about buying a CL-S and so far am considering two and wanted to know any tips and advice (let me know if im crazy) on buying a CL since the tranny issue is so prevalent.

Here are the two im considering right now:

01 CL-S/ White/ 76k miles/ around $8200 (tranny replaced by acura about 20k miles ago i think)
02 CL-S/ Black 146k miles/ around $4500 (tranny replaced twice, first by acura then by exclusive tranny shop)

Now i was wondering since people talk about these cars being very reliable if i am crazy for even considering a car with 146k miles on it. Or should i just go for the one with 76k miles with a warranty that expires in Dec.

Please chime in...

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

FAQ if you haven't seen it yet.....
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2539666

And yeah your nuts for even thinking about a car with over 140K miles on it. Not just the CLS but any car.

Unless it's a 03 6mt I wouldn't buy a CLS.

m733l

iTrader: (1)

only tip you need for buying a cl is make sure it's an 6speed manual tran. so that leaves you with one option - 2003 cl-s 6mt. good luck

stephengt2

Ok so what about the other CLS w/ 74k miles? BTW i did read the FAQ but seems to be alot of old info and nothing that I see was relevant to my post.

stephengt2

So seriously the only recommendation I will get on this forum is pretty much the 03 with MT? None of the AT are even worth it at that year (01 or 02) even at decent mileage??

m733l

iTrader: (1)

if you you're not aware the auto are known to have a glass tranny. if you find one with decent miles then at least make sure it's still under warranty. but i would look for the manual.

pits200

Don't listen to all these people who only recommend the manual transmission. Obviously yes, it is more reliable, but if you are looking for good value an 01 automatic will do just fine, just be sure it has the oil jet installed.

1.) The oil jet seems to have solved the majority of tranny problems.

2.) Most dealers will offer some sort of goodwill warranty to an extent. So if your tranny went out with 130k miles on it, more than likely you wouldn't be completely shit out of luck. Most estimates end up being around a $500-$800 fee for replacement.

3.) Many cars over 140K miles can be reliable. I will use my car as example and say that I have 160K miles on my car and I will put it up against most cars with 60k miles on it. For a car to get that many miles on it, many of those miles are probably highway miles and those are much much less stressful on an engine. It all depends on the condition of the car. So if you are looking for value, a high mileage car can be a great great steal and still be in as good of condition as the other 76k mile car you are looking at for 3k less.


Overall, definitely look at the auto CL-S and its a great bang for your buck, don't listen to all the stubborn people who intend on always pushing off the manual CL when these sort of questions come up.

stephengt2

Pitts,

Thanks alot for your alternate angle on the situation which i why i came here to get many different points of view to consider.

Question: what would you consider some good steps to find out about the reliability and having the one with more miles checked out? Taking it to the acura dealer for the safety check for the $100 fee?

pits200

Those safety checks are jokes, but if you don't feel mechanically inclined I can understand your worries.

With a high mileage car (over 100k) here are the things you need to check first and foremost.

1.) Timing belt is changed and if not, use that as a bargaining chip since it will need to be done soon. I changed mine at 150K and it looked brand new, but if i was buying a used car with high miles I would want this changed before purchase.

2.) Check all motor mounts on these cars, its easy to see if they are ripped, well atleast the front and side mount are.

3.) Check the CV joints for boot tears

4.) These engines are strong, but pull spark plugs and see if there is oil on the plugs, if you see any of the plugs with oil just move on to the next car.

5.) Check seat motors, my car has this problem and doesn't recline but its not a big deal because its in a perfect position.

6.) Exhaust, make sure there are no leaks

7.) Get a scan tool or take the car to autozone to see if the car is throwing any codes.

8.) Rev the engine to make sure the bypass valve is working on the CL-S. This should click over at 4800 rpms I think.

9.) Pull the dipstick, if the oil is very low or black it says a lot about the owner and that he/she didn't take great care of the car.

10.) Drive it! This is obviously the best way you can tell any problems. Make sure the steering wheel doesn't wander and you don't hear any sounds.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Fact are facts. You can't dispute them.

Except for the auto trans there's nothing wrong with an auto CLS. If your getting one make sure it's covered under the trans warranty.

And +1 on the timing belt change. That's a good $800 extra you will have to spend if you get a car that's around 100k miles. Over that you need to find out if it was changed.

JBlueCLS6

iTrader: (2)

I seriously think you should only consider an 03 MT. You won't be plagued with the glass tranny that is very common in the J series motors and will only run you a few grand more. Furthermore a manual CLS is almost a completely different car to the Autotragic.

jaysizzlecity

Make sure you get a warranty. My friend has a 01 CL-S with 189k miles it's clean and still running good. My friend said his trans had the fix. What ever that is.....

02CL-TypeS

I'm happy with teh purchase of my 02CL-S auto. I do wish I would have gotten a 6-speed EVERYDAY

disgruntlednut

Personally, I would've gone with an 03 CLS mt but thats not because I'm worried about my auto transmission. My 01 CLS is on its third transmission with a year and a half or 15K miles left on the warranty and has the oil jet installed too. I bought the car knowing the transmission would be covered fully if anything goes wrong with it. If the transmission is covered under a warranty and you're not too eager about a 6mt, I'd say definitely go for it. You'll love it.

btw, transmission warranty: 3 years/36K miles from date of installation (regardless of original warranty if you're past 109K) if Acura did the job.

Excellent list pits. Heavy emphasis on checking the motor mounts and getting the timing belt done.

grime015

If youre going to get a CLS the 6mt is the only respectable option. Not only is the MT more fun to drive and give you faster acceleration it is also more dependable. My auto tranny went out a month after i purchased it from the dealership. If you get an automatic you will slowly begin to hate you car. First when your tranny goes out and then again when you realize that it will never be a "fun" car to drive. You will then trade it in on a 2004 M3 with 13,300 miles and pay $35,000 just so that you dont have to drive your CLS anymore. just my two cents.

pits200

Lol

1.) You need to take a used car class cause it sounds like you got suckered on your CL.

2.) You are foolish if you are the one who paid $35,000 for a 2004 M3 when you could get a 2007 335i which is pretty much an upgraded M3 and is 3 years newer and much more refined.

3.) If you are ever going to buy another used car, you really should consult someone because it sounds like you are the person who fits the statement, "A sucker is born every minute"

Paying $35,000 for a 2004 M3

Maybe your mom or dad should help you pick out your cars from now on.

clpassenubye

iTrader: (20)

I understand why everyone says get a 6mt but not everyone wants a manual and secondly not every Auto has had tranny issues. I have had 2 modded auto CLS and before I bought my second I looked and test drove several 6mt's and decided I didn't feel like driving a manual anymore. My opinion is a bad transmission isn't a death sentence I've had to replace a transmission in another car I owned and went on business as usual.

thevikas87

iTrader: (2)

is this true?

Starter

Don't worry about the mileage so much. Try and find a one owner car where all the service records are available. That's your best bet at not having any surprises about the condition of the car.