gigglez

I am pretty sure that i am going to get a cl-s and i am wondering what bugs people the most about it. i talked to another member on here and he told me that the worsed things about the car are as follows:
the sunroof doesn't open all the way
the trasmission seams to slip a little
The car doesn't start in sport mode in first gear

i forget the rest..
but before i get the car i wanted to ask what others thing...

so, my question is what is the worsed thing about the car..


thanks

tel1sps

The stock tires.....

Mike

i agree w/tel1sps. if you enjoy driving your car hard then the tires will have to be replaced. the thing that bugs me is how easily the paint chips. I gladly would have payed more $$ for a better paint job.

Marc S

I agree, i have so many paint chips on my front bumper. Atleast 15. Im already considering a new paint job. Maybe go to a pearl white.

davematthews-CLS

Paint
Tranny
Fake Ass Wood
Tranny
Fake fog lights
unaligned trunk
tin can exterior easily dented
tranny
itty bitty sunroof
craftmanship (the fit & finish)
and finally tranny

just a piece of advice, give yourself a fair chance and test drive the 325ci and audi 1.8T, neither are as "fast" as the CL but the quality and resale and reliablility are better. good luck.

ChodTheWacko

Oh, just read the FAQ already.

pgatour1

I don't mind the minor problems with the CL, Acura makes some of the best cars. They have the least problems next to Lexus' just better than Jaguar. Seriously if you gave me 50K there is not another New Car I would get on the market. I like this car cause it is heavy, quiet, comfortable, fairly quick, looks sharp, not as common as some other cars in this price range, Love the feel of the inside.

My only complaints are stock tires --> Which I changed right away.
And the seatbelt is really really uncomfortable to me. I am starting to not wear it which is not a good thing.

The car has all the space to put things like CD, drinks, cell phone, it is just a great car overall. I am really happy about it and will recommend it to anyone.

bc01cls

The WORST??..........please note correct spelling (WORSED?) since we don't want Acura reps who may stumble upon this site to think any less of us. Smart people here ya know.
1) Thin Paint....common to all Honda Products. Thank you EPA !
2) Stock wheels (and tires-although I will use mine up first). Wheels are curb hazards and clash (IMHO) with Sundance Gold. Too "Honda-ish" and bulky looking.
3) Auto Locking "Feature"........I hate after I open the trunk with the key fob, the car locks itself in 15 seconds.
4) Seatbelt retraction, or lack of. Another Honda exclusive. Can be remedied.
5) Sunroof opens to the inside as opposed to over the roof. Result: small opening and less headroom.
6) Some fit and finish issues--mostly in "early run".

The Best:
1) Interior. Compared to 3 series (and I did), luxurious and roomy! Easy to eat up highway miles without backache from lousy seats. Great cockpit.
2) All around performance. Not a track car, but does ok with comfort..........sways helped. Fast too (must be the gold).
3) Economy. Recent drive from TN to NY yielded 33.5 mpg on 3 tanks. City average 24mpg--leadfoot.
4) Dependability...........at least mine has been. No Germanic electrical gremlins either. Good service & free RSX loaners.
5) Exclusivity...........BMW's used to be rare around here but now are like owning a good looking Taurus. I've only seen one other PDG CL-S in 16 months of driving mine.
6) Features...........NO OPTIONS, well except for nav, but I can read. BMW and others, charge for everything. Hate that.

All in all a bargain and a joy to drive. Yeah I like the BMW 3 series 2 door but I won't pay $40,000 + for pleather & plastic. Cars and trucks are getting totally looney in the price department, but Acura offers a lot for less.
Remember............IT'S JUST A CAR!!!!!

Chris

well i personally do not have many complaints about the car... except for...

1. midget sunroof
2. stock tires
3. stock height (geezus you can take the car offroading right when you get off the lot!)
4. lack of bass in the sound system
5. lack of retraction for the seatbelt

and finally for me...
6. my FUCKED up transmission!!!

but other than that i love my car

TypeSAddict

Well, THE FVCKING PAINT AND SLIPPING TRANNY!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry I am a little emotional about the paint )

Scorpius

Sounds to me like the Mercedes C-Coup would be a good choice too. Too bad it wasn't around wqhen I was on the market...

Speaking of Tauruses... I think the new ones look pretty nice. Can I be so bold as to say I think they look better than the new Bimmers... That's pretty sad IMO. Ford beating a $40k car int he styling department. Its tiem for BMW to get those engineers off the beach ant back into work.

jstenuf

Paint
Wood Trim that looks like a bowling ball
misaligned trunk
Fit & finish
Climate control that is anything but automatic
Car is either to hot or to cold
Windows fog up during cold weather
Seat belts won’t retract properly
Sound System lacks mid base weight
Mud Guards are to narrow
Side view mirrors are positioned to high creating a blind spot
General lack of attention to detail that other car companies get right

Given the issues above plus the tranny difficulties others are having and my
own experience with the failure of the power steering rack and pinion, this will be my
first and last Acura.

XkRaZiX

my rear deck rattles the second day i got my car with the SUK STOCK BOSE SYSTEM... also the qualities of Acura's are goin lower & lower.... why dont u add couple more thousands to get a better european car..(C class, 3 series, a4, X-type)

Beltfed

Hmmm,

No paint issues (PDG seems to hold up well).
No tranny issues yet.
Haven't scratched OEM wheels yet (they do stick out too far though).

Issues, the metal is waaay to thin, rear deck/sunroof rattles are rather annoying, foglights are a joke.

Overall, its a very good car.

Patryn

The stereo is by far the worst thing about the car to me. It all depends on what you're use to. For me this car is great overall. Very little to complain about. If you're use to high quality, high class cars, then it may not stack up. If you're use to cheaper Ford/GM products (like I am) than this car is great! It's a matter of perspective.

SilverCL225hp

I don't have the type S, just the premium, here is the thing I don't like about it:

The stereo is kind of weak.
Road noise is relatively high.
Suspension is not soft enough.

Scorpius

Sounds to me like you should have got a Continental... Are Alpine systems any good?

drakhen

The only complaints I have about the car are as follows:

Paint chips easily
Back seats don't fold down

Other than that, it's been perfect. I haven't had any tranny probs and I don't have any complaints about the stock tires or the height. Yes my rims are scratched but would that make me not buy this car?... NO!

DeLucCL-S

Some of the people here make me laugh.....

Considering the lists of complaints about the CL-S, Sounds like some of you should have gone with another car.

So the tires screech a little, big deal....The Bose stereo doesnt shatter your neighbors window, but it sure does beat the balls off of almost EVERY car stereo out there in a car priced UP to 30k.
This car is FAST. I can pull up to the line with just about ANY car...and know i can take them.
Personally..I LOVE MY CL-S!

Of course, what i am about to say DOESNT APPLY TO EVERYONE on this board...but i have to say it while the opp presents itself.

The majority of the people that have along list of problems with this car, and cant seem to find anything good about...prolly dont appreciate it as much as others do. I wont go much further into it, but i will say this.....
If you dont like your CL-S...get mom and dad to buy you a new car!

totallymondotl_RENAMED

umm, good resale value on a Audi....you must be kiddin'
An S-4 is way overpriced and as it rolls off the lot it plunges 5 grand...plus it's no bigger than a jetta...looks cool but when the new s-4 bows bye bye resale....

yayaya143

I personally think this car is pretty good. I know alot of people have alot of complains about the CL, but come on... Every car has its problems, no car is perfect, and especially not for only $28k. For only $28k, u are getting a pretty good looking car, not to mention 260hp, the whole long list of features and the acura name plate. You go try finding a car that has everything the CL has for only $28k, certainly not any bmw or audi or mb or even lexus. The only car close to the CL woudl be the I30 but then again thats a 4 door. If you want to spend $10k more to get a 330ci then go ahead, but dont expected to get any less complains about it as the CL. My neighbor had a 740 and he complained about it, my boss has the new SC430 and he complained, the director of IT at my work as a mb s600 and he complained, i guess im just trying to say no car is perfect, and for $28k, the CL is the best car you can get, it has comfort and yet it can perform, its not a bently but it sure makes u feel good when ur driving it.

CO-CL-S

Paint job!

QuickSilver

Issues with the CL-S:

1.) Squeaks and rattles in rear deck, sunroof, middle of dashboard, front passenger seat. Only the rear deck issue was corrected under warranty.

2.) Poorly designed brake rotors and pads. Dealer replaced under warranty. Brakes inexplicably emit piercing squeal on occasion when coming to stop.

3.) Front seatbelt does not retract properly. Dealer advised that the retractor works as long as the belt does not become tangled or twisted. This happens a couple times a week.

4.) Transmission shifts abruptly and indecisively. Seems to hesitate between gears and/or shift very harshly at times. Problem is sporadic. Tranny fluid looks "clean." Dealer advises that this behavior is "normal."

5.) Lack of bass response from the Acura / Bose stereo system.

6.) Suspension is a little rough on long trips.

7.) Dealer service at Gillman Acura.


Of the above issues, I'd say the only problem that really annoys me is the transmission issue. On a $30k car, I expected MUCH better from American Honda. Acura should be embarassed by the fact that there are Chevys and Saturns out there with better transmissions than the poorly designed 5 speed in the CL-S.

At this point, I'm not sure I would purchase another Acura. I was extremely disappointed by the CNDs I received at Gillman Acura for problems that were self-evident to another dealer. Sadly, I've seen GM dealers with better customer service.

The transmission is a real issue. If the transmission doesn't fail before the 4th year of the warranty, CL-S owners are faced with the prospect of paying an addiitional $1k - $2k for an extended warranty as a safeguard against an extremely expensive repair. From my standpoint, the cost of the extended warranty or the cost of replacing the transmission out of warranty places the true total cost of the CL-S in 330Ci territory. Knowing what I know now, I might have chosen differently.




QuickSilver ('01 CL-S, No Mods)

JZ

This is only a list of the things that really got to me, not all of the little nit-picky things:


1. Ride height
2. Tires
3. Paint
4. Wheels sticking out too far (costs money to maintain unscratched wheels which it shouldn't)

Two funny things that caught my attention:

1. the talk about the thin sheet metal. While I do agree overall, I wonder why even with thin metal the car weighs so much?

2. The fake wood interior. Funny thing about this is that I have had positive comments about it by nearly everyone that has entered my car. Hmmm.

acura_service

IT'S A GREAT CAR FOR THE MONEY!

comon people its a $30,000.00 car. but................

its not a CL55 - which does have abc for ride height, paint is awsome, doesn't have much sheet metal, besides composite and aluminum, great interior and real wood, extemely low powertrain issues (we have never replaced a transmission or engine on one)oh did i mention that nicely equipped it is around $105,000.00

this forum is starting to sound like people who buy a hyundai then pick the car apart, KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A CAR IN A PRICE RANGE - CHAMPAIGN TASTE ON A BEER BUDGET)

(i know if you are one of the people on this board who have had there transmission replaced - you didn't expect that and i agree with you on that point)

just drive it!

Scorpius

Resale value on an Audi? I don't htink so... Maybe if the darn thing starts or the turbo doesn't go out. I still hear complaints of Audis/VWs being unreliable. Have they done anything since the 80's? Its like I say the the Cambird nuts that come in here from time to tine... that 310hp doesn't do much good if the car doesn't start... Well, Quatro won't help if your turbo goes out.
Name one wheel that is designed to hit the curb. I have had the car a year and a half, parallel parked in Philly, Allentown and I even drove in NYC which I will not do again. I take the car through auto car washes all the time, and I have no scratches on the wheels.
You don't like the fake wood or the ride height? Get a BMW... What's this? You can't afford a BMW? I can't either, so live with it until the economy improves and you get a better job.
You want to hear rattles and squeaks? Go drive a friends Pontiac. I don't understand where some of you get these complaints. The main one is ride height. Its not a low-rider. It is not designed to be one. Would you be happy if the frame was rubbing the highway and making sparks all over the place like those morons in that video?

acura_service

i agree with you 100%

Red Rider

The car is an outstanding value. If you want to knitpick :

1. Paint chips ( Primarilly on the hood and front bumper )

2. Warped Rotors ( Turned and covered under warranty )

3. Lousy turning radius

TypeSKid

The stock tires blow. Stock air box is EXTREMELY Limited. Bose Speakers are horrible, but how many NEW cars have good sound systems STOCK?

2002 BMW //M3

For the $ A Type S is exactly what U get.

chikai

a couple of ppl have posted that the trunk is mis-aligned...i hate to be "that guy", but what does that mean?

2002 3.2 CL

The worst thing about this car is the big grin you have on your face when you drive it . No but come on now, where can you get a car with as good of performance as a 2002 Auto Mustang GT and alot of the good luxury stuff and not ripping off an arm to pay the insuranse ( the Mustang Gt has twice the insurance cost ). I dont even own the CL-S yet(actually dont even have a car at all) and i know that it is a great value for an allaround car like this.

totallymondotl_RENAMED

boy I can't agree more about the whining going on here. As I noted over on the TL site, my brother had a new 750IL in 97(?) it was such a pile...electronics, fuel management.....that BMW bought it back!! He then got a "deal" on a 540...it had quality problems...traded it for a S500...and no it's not perfect either but BMW has and continues to have quality issues..don't let anyone tell you they don't....at those price levels it is BMW's and Mercedes "dirty little secret"..the truth is that the owners of these cars don't go around whining in public they take it out at the dealerships and more often than not they choose not to buy repeat products. Amount of $$ spent is not directly correlated to perfection....see Lamborgini, Aston-Martin, 1st gen ML320

acura_service

1998 ML320 ....scary

fast_daddy_car

The worst thing about our car is the crappy rim size. Why couldn't they make the stock rim to 7.5"??? There is not a large choice of 17" tires with a 93+ load rating that will fit on a 7" rim.

ChodTheWacko

Here is my Paint story.

I found acura-cl.com while car shopping.
I read about, and started worrying about the paint.

I bought the CL anyway.
I still worried about the paint.

I bought some Zaino, and put it on my car.
I still worried about the paint.

The company's gate closed on my car.
I freaked out about the paint.

I checked out my car.
The wooden gate didn't cut through the zaino.

Needless to say, I haven't given half a thought about the paint
anymore!!!!

(I do have a handful of nicks in my zaino, but screw it)

scl23

I didn't give two bits about my paint until a big old stone like 1'x1' came flying up and nicked the fuck out of my hood at 75 mph. There is a 1/4' x 1/4' nick on my hood and the paint is more like scraped off rather than just a nick. I put a regular carnuba wax on it for now but it sure hurts my feelings.