Hey y'all. Yes, I know I've not been posting very often lately (not much motorsport, or even street car stuff going on), but I still read posts every day. And this is the best car forum in the world.
Seller's on FB Marketplace (I actually kind of hate it, but it's the *new* Craigslist, so it seems). Even though the '07 Accord (with a manual!) 4dr I picked up after my RSX got t-boned is a pretty good appliance, I'm bored with it. Not to mention it's as big as the '70s domestic cars my parents let me borrow when I was a new driver back then. Parking's a PITA, and at 58yrs old, I'm no longer taking six people on a road trip to a concert, or forcing my 30yr old daughter into a child seat. I just bought it when I found it when my DD was dead, and I had to go back to work the next week.
Tips about scouting a CL? From what I've read, the Type-S is the only one with a manual (I've already read what a disaster the slushboxes were on these cars). Still has that 'old-school' Honda double wishbones up front, but with much less flaccid spring rates. Old road tests (including one from Car and Driver mag) says it also has some sort of limited slip diff up front.
Seller says 201K mi (not afraid of that if it's a well maintained Honda), a lil' noise from the power steering pump. Only interior pic is of the odo showing mileage. Don't know if it's really a 3-pedal car or not. Asking $2500, I've got about $2100 that I can offer. I'd share the link, but half of y'all don't put up with FB..and the other half would snipe me if it's a good deal!
I hope I get some of my cred back for doing a "This car?" thread, instead of a "What car" thread.. ;)
Is it really a manual trans?
This is the gauge cluster of an auto trans 2003 Acura CL. Notice the notations for which gear the auto trans is in. Compare to the picture of the one you're shopping.
ebay gauge cluster
I would say that your intended model is a manual.
Some skepticism... The Acura has no plates in the pictures. The seller has another ad for parting out the black civic parked next to it. Just be sure that the Acura is also not just parts car quality.
IIRC they only made a few thousand of the 6-speed cars so they are somewhat rare.
I shopped and drove one once. For some reason it just didn't click with me at the time, I remember not being able to find a good seating position. They are good cars but definitely err towards luxury as opposed to sport. I think they are about 3600lbs, fuel economy is pretty bad, and the jam-packed engine bay is not an area I would want to spend a lot of time working. But I think overall they are fine cars if you are looking for a big FWD coupe that's nice to spend time in.
As with most Honda products of that era you will definitely want to make sure the timing belt services are completed like clockwork or catastrophe will occur.
Only about 3,500 Type-S were built with the 6 speed manual. Also, they were equipped with with an exclusive 6 spoke wheel and a limited-slip diff that were NOT available on the automatic Type-S. Don't know about the 3,500 figure, though. I just remember trying to get another 300 air-shipped from Japan to complete the 2003 model production plan.
As others have said, the manual Type-S was very rare. Can't hurt to ask if it's a manual?
In reply to dj06482 (Forum Supporter) :
Well, the picture of the tach in the ad doesn't have the auto gear indicator stuff like in the cluster pic John Welsh provided. Here's a screen-shot.
And the ad's been up for a week. "Acura" is considered a premium brand with civilians in ATL Metro (I've angered a few non-enthusiast "Acura" owners when I called my RSX a "Honda"), and the price is quite low. I figure it's either because it's *really* a manual, or if it's because of the 200K, or that it's really a rat teetering on the edge of 'parts car' territory.
RustBeltSherpa, photos show 6-spoke wheels.
pointofdeparture, (RE: Timing belt), always. If I do this, it sits in the driveway until I can afford to that get done (health problems, can't really do much of my own work anymore). The Accord's still healthy, I'm just not 'in love' with it.
At the moment, not concerned about fuel economy. My Corrados had the same thing with 'meh' in combined driving (crap in town, not so bad on the highway). Truth be told, I guess I'm looking for a "Japanese Corrado". Same vibe, more reliability. :D
The hardest class of cars to sell these days are non-sporty manual trans cars. Sure, in a Miata or sporty cars the manual is more desirable but in cars like a Kia Soul, the manual trans versions are hard to sell. I can see this Acura being right on the fence of being sporty or not but as it ages it leans more to the non-sporty side.
The second hardest class of cars to sell is 2 doors. The reason for this, in my opinion, is kid car seats and the difficulty of the adult helping to complete the buckle for a kid in the back of a coupe. So, the 2dr version eliminates any shoppers with kids or grand kids and the need to transport them even if rarely.
What you have here is both. Not full on sporty and 2 door. The boomer age group knows how to drive a manual but they are done with it. That age group now appreciates the easy egress of a raised CUV and with now bad knees they don't want the "difficulty" in stop and goe traffic. The current youth have never been taught how to drive a manual trans because no one in their family has ever owned one in the past 20 years.
You might be one of the few people qualified or interested to buy this car. I think it is a cool choice too but weirdos like all us here on GRM are just a small, fringe group of the American driving population.
I suspect this will feel more sporty than the Accord and I would attribute most of that to the V6 and LSD. It's still a hefty car compared to an RSX.
My sister bought a 2005 TSX manual new and I love the styling inside and out plus the comfortable interior. It felt slow and exiting corners with aggression was frustrating with the lack of LSD. Years after she sold it I bought my 2007 Civic Si. It's a couple few hundred pounds lighter and much more fun to drive.
I think a 03 manual CL-S would make for a decent challenge car if I could find one at the right time.
I had a similar year TL when I was young and enjoyed it except for the constant fear of those model years automatic transmission woes.
At 200k it probably needs the oil pan and transmission pulled to fix the oil leak at the rear oil gallery O-ring that is part of the rear main seal housing. May as well do the timing belt and oil pump O-ring at the other end of the engine.
Other than that, they're utterly boring cars mechanically. Also, IMO, boring cars to drive, but compared to some newer cars they are exciting. I spent 150mi in this week in a car I can't say because it would trigger some sensitive GRMers (rhymes with Sunday Konata) but it would be best described as the automotive equivalent of Nutraloaf: It supplies everything you need to survive but provides absolutely no enjoyment in the process, or anything to hate, it's just unwieldingly neutral. More Camry than Camry.
The automatics were fine by 2003, anyway.
clutchsmoke said:
I suspect this will feel more sporty than the Accord and I would attribute most of that to the V6 and LSD. It's still a hefty car compared to an RSX.
It will have crusty stiff leather compared to the Accord. Not sure about sporty. After nearly 20 years, whatever differences the factory made in spring and damper tuning are moot.
