Hello All,

I'm contemplating selling my 2003, CL Type-S manual (43K miles) for a new 2012 (or slightly used) TL manual. I've owned my CL since new have have pampered her for the last 8 years. But it might be time for a change. I was curious to know if any of you have switched from the CL to the new TL and what your impressions are of the TL. At first I wasn't thrilled with the looks of the fourth generation TL....but it has grown on me. Likewise, I like the exterior refinements Acura made to the 2012. Any input you might have would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

wow... only 43k on the odometer?? May I ask why you are selling it?

 

Sure....after 8 years with the CL I'm just wanting a change. I've owned Acura's since they first came out in 1986 and can't imagine driving anything else. I really wish Acura still made a sporty 2-door coupe (with manual).....but since they don't, I've set my sites on the 4th generation TL. I must admit that I did recently test drive an infiniti G37 S coupe with manual and would strongly consider that car if it didn't have such a ridiculously small trunk. How do you like your TL?

 

I owned a 2001 CL Navi for about five years. From that, I went to a Toyota Solara Convertible. Now, I'm back in the Acura fold. My Toyota was the only car I have ever owned that never had to have something repaired or replaced. My CL, that was a whole other story. It was very disappointed with the CL from the quality standpoint. Not from the driving stand point. My current TL is the first 4 door I've ever owned. I really prefer a coupe, but there are not that many choices out there any more. I looked at the Mustang, and the Camero. While I like the outside of both cars, one word described the interiors, CHEAP. Toyota no longer makes a two door mid size car, so I thought I would give the Acura another try. The TL drives very well. Outstanding performance. Mine is an auto, but I'm sure the manual will put a smile on your face. Most of the interior is pretty high quality, but some parts of my CL seemed to be better. The trunk space is just OK. If you opt for the SH, the trunk floor gets some extra humps. The sound system is great. Much better than the CL. The HID headlamps on my CL seemed to be brighter than the TL. The highbeams on the TL seem almost useless. Of course being a four door, you do have a little more room inside the car. Since I'm the only person in the car, the extra room is a moot point. Frankly, I don't think anyone has ever sat in the back seat of my TL yet. If I have any gripes, they are minor. The tilt/telescoping wheel is awful. I don't know who designed that thing, but they should be fired. The glove compartment is too small. The owners manuals (they are about the size of War and Peace) is about all that will fit in it. There is a sliding drawer from your phone in the console lid which is a nice touch, but no way to run a charger to it. The interior has a little more plastic in it than I would like, but that is just about any car these days. In a nut shell, if you enjoyed your CL S, you are sure to like the TL SH. It's a lot of car for the money. That is something the TL does very well. As to the looks, well that is one of the things I like about the TL. It's different to say the least. The 12 is toned down some but it still looks like no other car. My best advice is go to your dealer and test drive the TL. I think you will be impressed.

 

Any time I took my CL in for service, I was given TL's for loaners. I really didn't like the cars ... especially the seats when comparing them to the CL. The only reason I'm in the 4th gen TL is because 1) AWD 2) stick 3) seats are far more comfortable than the previous gen seats 4) Acura dependability/reliability, and 5) I knew I would recover any percentage of the 5-7K my next service was going to cost me (the 225k service). I too want this car to be a 2-door, but the BMW 3's didn't meet my range needs, and I wasn't impressed by Audi replacing the 6 with the 2.0T if you want a stick in the A5. Having said that, I'm still considering the CTS +4 Coupe (even though it doesn't have a stick) and waiting to see if the new Merc C Coupe will come with a 4Matic. And if you're still on the CL Forum, you've possibly seen what a couple of the children who have since acquired Y2K3CL-S have done to her.

 

I absolutely love mine. I've had no major issues with the car and the shifter is smooth... Interior drawbacks are the raised middle seat in the rear, small glovebox etc like a poster above mentioned, but the positives on the car far outweigh the negatives. The trunk is certainly bigger than the G37 coupe and you can comfortably fit two large adults in the back...

 

still have an 03 CL-S (5AT). love both cars... but the 4G is worlds better in driving dynamics, etc...

 

Anthracite, I'm from Oregon. Is your CL still for sale?

 

I went from a 1998 CL to a 2010 TL SH-AWD auto. I really liked the combination of solid power, decent responsiveness, but smooth ride of the CL. The TL is a much bigger vehicle, with a real roomy back seat. But with the 305 HP it feels more responsive IMO in both acceleration and handling. Sound system clearly superior, even without the Tech option. With Tech the sound system has been rated best in class. Seats much more supportive. Stiffer ride with SH-AWD (but rock solid in cornering).

 

I went from an Anthracite 03 CL-S 6M to an 09 SH-AWD. The comfort, electronics, stereo, AWD, noise, and ride of the car blow away the old CL. The CL (mine was fully bolted) was much "faster" from 40-120 than the TL. It felt much lighter / more nimble.

The CL trunk was bigger and more useable. The TL backseat is much more practical.

The CL seats were excellent. The TL seats are good, but I think comfort has gone downhill since the 03 CL seats.

The airconditioning / heating / heated seats are ahead of the 03.

Gas mileage....eh, fully bolted I was getting 35+ MPG on premium in the CL when I could keep my foot out of it. I can feather accelerate and paddle shift early in every gear and nurse the TL to a 29-30 MPG mostly highway average.

Build Quality - Advantage TL. The CL was a fancy Accord. The TL is a luxury car.

 

Hi Ken......I'm still debating about whether or not to even sell my CL as it's been such a great car. I really need to test drive a TL 6-speed manual again to see if it I'm ready to take the plunge. Are you interested in the event I do decide to sell?

 

I loved my '03 CL-S w/ 6sp. I had the Anthracite Gray Metallic on Ebony, but no Navi. It was so much fun to drive. I kept her in great shape by parking out in BFE anywhere I went. Even the Acura techs came out to talk to me about her and compliment on her looks and cleanliness. :-)

When I sold her last year, it was heart breaking. I had her for 5 years and she was my first car that I had on my "wish list" of cars coming out of college (well, wish list of cars I might actually be able to buy).

Now that I've had my '10 TL SH-AWD for a month, I can say I love this car as much, and maybe even more despite having an auto tranny. More horsepower and torque but still in the same ballpark for MPG is a great thing. I remember the 8 hour drive to get her home on the highway was a blast! Zipping around slower cars, weaving in and out of traffic at high speed, etc was a sweet feeling. Very similar feeling as in my CL-S, but now I can actually take more than 1 normal sized person with me plus golf clubs and luggage (any car I own has the requirement to carry my golf clubs).

So all in all, I love my decision to get the TL. More of everything is makes Acura great - great engine, SH-AWD, technology out to wazoo, quality everything. Love it.

Depending on what you like, I would recommend staying with the '11 instead of the '12. Unless you like the "watered down" look of the '12 they did to meet critics dislike of the aggressive styling of the '09-'11. Just my opinion.

 

Let us all know how it goes Anthracite. I have a '03 Agean Blue CLS 6mt with 58k miles and had also been considering the exact thing you are thinking of with a '12 6mt TL. I've already had tons of offers for my car, but can't seem to decide to sell her. I'll probably regret doing that and will end up trying to pick up a '12 and keeping the '03.

 

Possibly. My heart is set on an S2000 but I'd still be interested.

 

Trunk spaces getting smaller is a concern with me...
I have been wondering ever since the 4G came out, is it possible to put 2 bags of clubs in the trunk? If so, fwd, awd, or both?