Tulanian

I am one happy newbie!

These are my first pix of my "new" 03 San Marino Red over Parchment six-speed 3.2 CL Type-S. I'm sure there is a board shorthand for writing this description, but I haven't learned it all yet!

Bone stock. I'm not competing against you guys with your nice mods, but maybe someone is curious about this color combo.











Okay, I'll admit it, the license plate isn't my real one. It seemed like more fun to go to the DMV's "create-a-plate" site, make a fake one, and paste it over my own using Macromedia Fireworks. Gee, it's funny that nobody has reserved that license sequence yet...!

phipark

Looks good. San Marino Red = SMR I would go with spring/struts first. Then, Headers/CAI at the same time and spoiler last.

Slimey

Looks great.

As for mods, I think the decision tree starts with how you want to prioritize things -- cost vs suspension/tires/handling vs horsepower vs brakes vs electronics vs appearance.

If I had to choose one over the other, I'd do suspension/handling before power mods. Of couse, I did both together...

Don't forget to upgrade your tires to some that actually grip the road. This should be the first mod.

GreenMonster

Sweet. I've got the same car (with the rear spoiler). I'm still stock, but if I were to mod, I'd go with springs/shocks first, then probably headers/icebox.

BTW, I drive like a bat out of hell, and the "arrest me red" hasn't gotten me a ticket yet (knockonwood).

Slimey

Now you've done it... :cop:

rondog

iTrader: (1)

noice, i say springs, it'll give your car the ono-OEM stance. Headers next. somewhere between all those mods, wheels should be a dramatic mod.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

Car looks real hot man. Clean as hell. I would say the mods will depend on what you want out of the car. If you want it to look cool, I would say springs and wheels. If you looking performance....headers and intake.

Good luck. And enjoy.

mantis23

dont you feel the n33d for sp33d?!?!

NSX-Tuner

Very nice looking car, but the rear seems naked. I know a lot of people don't like the OEM spoiler, but I think it would complete the rear. I love the way the OEM spoiler looks on my CLS...

Red-CL

Gotta love Red.

Drop it though.

For some ideas......... https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162851

pimpinTL02

I would get headers and ice box first go with performance... NIce car... Clean look..

GreenMonster

It's funny. When I saw a SMR CLS on the showroom floor, I thought it looked good with the spoiler, so I got one for my SMR CLS.

I'm starting to really like the SMR CLSs without the spoiler tho'.

I think the lines look alot cleaner w/o the spoiler...

Tulanian

I just bought an Acura color sales brochure for the '03 CL and CL-S off of eBay. Lots of pretty pictures. One thing struck me - not a single picture shows a CL with a spoiler. It wasn't even listed among the dealer-installed options.

I'm curious: were they, in fact, installed by dealers, rather than the factory? When you purchased your CL new through the dealer, how did you specify a spoiler?

NSX-Tuner

When I purchased both my '01 CLS and '03 CLS 6MT, the Acura website listed the spoiler as an option. In addition, the dealers listed the spoiler as an option in their sales book.

Chaptorial

Nice choice man. Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the board.

I'd go with Springs & Shocks first (even though your stock shocks will be fine for now) then move on to an intake and headers.

The Spoiler was a dealer installed option. When the car was bought new through the dealer it was listed under dealer options, like floor mats, mud guards, wheel locks etc. Just like cls6sp03 said above.

You can still buy the spoiler kit through a dealer or online. However make sure the kit includes new mounts for the trunk as they have to be modified to counter the added weight of the spoiler. Otherwise the trunk won't stay open.

mrblorry

What a small world! Nice car! We live in the same town, are about the same age, and drive the same color CLS! I'm jealous though. Yours looks a bit nicer than mine, plus it's a 6 speed.

Mine is only a '01 with black interior, no nav, no spoiler. I've only had mine for about two months, and haven't done any mods yet either, but I am thinking about the headers as the first thing. And personally, I prefer the car without the spoiler. We ought to hook up sometime! I live out in the boonies, but I work in the West End. PM me if you're interested!

GreenMonster

I grabbed my dealer brochure when I was car shopping for a new car (and eventually bought the CLS.

My spoiler was dealer installed. The dealer did have to locate the color combo I wanted, so it took a few days for them to pick up the car and install the spoiler...

123456SPEED

My dealer was charging $650 for the spoiler,
I don't even like it on my car anyway, but I bought used and it had it already.
would love to remove it but I have better uses for the $400-500 it would cost.

Bobbydoedoe

gladt wans't ur real plate, i mean who wants tickets. o and congrats and nice color

2003type-s6

You are going to want to drop it, trust me........I dropped mine and now it handles real nice, unlike the boat-like body rolling pig it was before. My sways just have to be installed, and then headers are next for me.

niz181

do suspension first then the m5 spoiler then wheels and then the intake and headers, etc. but you wont be able to stop. Trust me I had the same car as you.