I've actually had this car for nearly six years (now at ~143,000 miles) but didn't do anything to her until the fourth, when the OE struts were showing signs of failure. I've taken to lightly modifying her since, mainly in the form of putting a high-quality aftermarket component in place of a weak or failed OE predecessor. But there's definitely been some 'just because' things done.





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Other than replacing the suspension with H & R OE Sport springs over Koni Yellows, I've put in Eibach sways with Moog endlinks, Cusco upper and lower tower braces, and had HT-Spec Stage 3 braking put into place of our crappy hardware along with Legend two-piston calipers in the front. The wheels are Motegi MR-121s, in the stock size I'm afraid. Didn't want to buy new tires yet again since I'd already blown a considerable amount over the past two years experimenting prior to taking a liking to these Potenza RE970s (225/50). Recently had the front and side engine mounts replaced with XLR8s (62A), which absolutely make a difference. You still won't hunt down Porsches in this car, but it's arguably the most discernible modification I've ever experienced. Really shores up the front end's traction and responsiveness, and the vibration that makes it into the car is minimal even before the bushings acclimate.

A conservative setup overall, but the roads here are too much of a laughable disaster for me to go with aggressive suspension or tire measures. They were fine when only a few of us transplants were out here, but the boomburb effect along with awful infrastructure expansion planning has beaten them to the point that even on settings approximating stock, the car feels a little crashy at time. I've considered pulling the trigger on both to see how much handling is still left on the table once they're sorted out; between looking to return to school and the CL having a lot of sentiment value, I'll can see myself still owning this car in a few years' time. But the market is an interesting one these days, and I'm currently not in a position where I can continue spending at will on her if I get something else. So I guess we'll just have to play this by ear.

 

Clean car, now the question that will get asked by everyone anyway. Stick or auto?

 

Auto by way of 7G Accord transmission as of ~130,000 miles. I can drive a stick, but there were barely any CLs on the market when I was shopping, much less six-speeds. Many of the few I've seen pop up since have had either salvage titles or unreasonable prices. I considered swapping her for a six-speed if the right one came along, but ultimately got too into her to care anymore.

 

7G Auto should last you longer than the 01 -03 CLS / TLS tranny.

Clean car! I too would like to dial in the handling, power and overall responsiveness of it before I start adding power.

Rear sways, motor mounts, tires, brakes and a good coilover / spring combo will do wonders.

 

like the motegi's, i almost got a smr with the tls honey combs. looks great

 

I have to admit, 3G TL Type-S rims were my original goal, and I may still consider them if I can find some at a decent price next year. I really wanted to try them with 235/45/17 tires, but couldn't find a seller I liked when I was ready. While the 121s aren't wide enough, I ultimately liked their similarity to the 3G-S wheel too much to pass them up. They're also a few pounds lighter than the stock wheels, so I chalked buying them up to experimenting with unsprung weight. I'm mostly happy, and may even settle for trying 225/45 if I'm still not liking my 3G-S wheel prospects.

 

i was going for the tl-s wheels on mine too but i really wanted 18's

 

TL Aspecs are 18x8 or if you're lucky, 18x8.5.

 

So I decided that the Motegis were a little racy and instead went with the Enkei Performance BR7. Went from having a 3G waffle fetish to thinking that the general aesthetic of the 2G TL Type-S A-Spec wheel manages to be sportier than stock, yet better suited to the car. Got an extra .5 inches of wheel, so I'm within range of trying the 235/45 when it's time for tires again. . .

Opinions?

 

Red looks good! I like the new wheels.

Do you have the nerve to go without your front license plate? Covering up the front bumper apex ruins the styling...
Also, would you prefer solid red rear lights (2001, 2002) vs your 2003 clear blinkers? Solid red lights on a red car would look dramatically different...

 

I don't have the nerve. My local police departments are renown for using the smallest infractions as rationales to detain, so I'm not looking to extend any invitations for a roadside chat beyond my driving. Even if the front plate law were dropped tomorrow, I wouldn't be ready to celebrate. The plate holder hides where either the previous owner or leasee repeatedly knocked it against the bumper and eroded some of the paint and plastic beneath it.

Going with pre-'03 tail lights is an interesting idea. SMR does wear them well, but I'm partial to keeping a car's aesthetic as model year correct as possible unless there's a interchangeable detail I just can't stand. I'm at peace with the '03 tail lights, so I can't imagine them going anywhere anytime soon.

 

They are similar to civic si wheels, mi gusta .

 

I noticed this when I spotted a seemingly unmolested 99-00 Civic Si in my employer's parking lot a few weeks back. Very enjoyable sight considering that it seems as if the already fleeting numbers of those and the corresponding Integra GS-R have been riced out of existence.

The Enkeis also came with a matte grey finish that looked similar to the Motegis I started the thread with, but I'm over that aspect of my Type-S waffle fetish, too. I wanted something with a little more visual interest than the stock wheels, but not so much that they become the dominant styling element or write checks the car can't cash. Wish they were as light as the Motegis, but they're still wider and a little lighter than stock.

 

yea another SMR! care looks good and very well taken care of. Like the new wheels too.

 

I also prefer the clear blinkers, and I also think amber turn signals are safer (not ambiguous) than red ones. But it's kind of odd and wasteful that for the last year only, knowing the CL was at its end, Acura decided to black out the headlight chrome and remove the 'fogs' while at the same time adding rear tail light chrome, in effect accentuating the rear while toning down the front...

 

I was looking at commuter cars at a second-hand dealership when I spotted some of the techs taking delivery of this:




I'd have been perfectly content to leave it be if I didn't catch wind of the center console. . .



I now understand why the six-speed guys are so giddy about their cars. I still have my auto and love it, but can now confidently claim that you've not driven the 2G CL in its most potent form if you've not driven a six-speed. I've owned this car since last November, and it has cured my subconscious whim for something newer.

 

So you bought it??? Awesome and congrats if you did. Looks really clean, and best color!

 

Actually most owners don't know how good CLS6 is. It is a heavy pig in stock form. When building my CL for track and autocross, had CL owners tell me the CL chassis is garbage and will never handle well. Think I have proved that BS to be false.

 

6-speed Congrats!