Acura CL

ineto6 · May 2001

I used synthetic oil on my previous car for years and change the oil by myself - not fun changing oil filter for that four banger though. I can tell you that it is not a good idea for normal everyday driving - I do rev my car regularly. The advantage of synthetic oil is better performance at high rev and long distance driving. If you are going to leave the oil in for 6000 miles then it will get dirty due to normal wear - under most driving conditions there will be enough dirt collected for that long duration. Also, your car will use up some oil so you might have to add a quart or so if you are going to extend the oil change interval - by the time you drain the old oil at 6000 you might have less than 3 quarts if your car's capacity is around 4 quarts.

As far as brighter highlights, the 2001 CL and newer have standard HID - I really like it.

[Deleted User] · May 2001

I helped my girl friend lease a CL last week. I love the car, and am kind of wishing I'd visited the Acura dealer one month earlier, before I leased my car. She's even given me seat memory #2. (I must be the luckiest man on the face of the earth, or was that
Lou Gehrig?)
But seriously, I do have one problem with the CL. There is hardly any bass from the sound system. I'm not a big Bose fan to begin with. But, even so, there should definitely be more low end there, even from Bose speakers.
It almost sounds as if the speakers are wired out of phase. The sound system in my new Chevy (Chevy, for cryin' out loud!) literally blows it away. It's not what I would expect in a car of this class.
Has anybody else noticed this with their 2001 (or any year w/ Bose) CL? If so, were you able to correct it (I hope)?
Thanks.

indysgold1 · May 2001

I have had no problems with my CL-s.I bought my car in march of 2000.I got a bra for the front,but I only use the nose part that goes on the hood.I haven't had any problems with door dings.My car is sundance gold,people ask me all the time if i had it painted. The TL-S does come in blue,but not sundance gold and the CL-S comes in gold but not blue.I dont know why they dont offer some brighter colors.Who wants to blend in with everybody else.I think you can only get blue ones in Canada. phil

canadiancl · May 2001

The sound from the CL-S Bose system is pretty flat. It is certainly no match for the Nissan Bose system.

[Deleted User] · May 2001

"Flat" is not the problem. If it were only flat, it would be OK. The term "flat" is usually used by audio professionals to mean uncolored and accurate. I have to turn the bass all the way up just to approach flat.
My girlfriend didn't like the styling of the Maxima at all, so I doubt if the stereo would have swayed her. Actually, she dislikes Japanese styling in general, and was originally going to buy an American car. I guess she settled for an American built Japanese car! (Bear in mind that she is Japanese.)
I'm going to call Bose on Monday, and see what can be done. I have a working relationship with their Pro division. Maybe they can steer me in the right direction.
I would imagine that a lot of folks would like to know a simple way to improve the stock sound system without resorting to subwoofers and huge amplifiers.

fastdriver · May 2001

indysgold1-

They do make a blue now for the CL-S. It came out recently. I saw one a few weeks ago when I was in West Palm Beach, FL. There is a picture of one at http://www.acura-cl.com Try either a search for it- not sure how that works because I never used it- or try clicking on page 17 or so. The name, Aegan Blue, is in the title. I'm just thinking now- not sure if it's for the regular CL or the CL-S?? I have pics of my CL-S that I just got on March 28, 2001. So far, I'd have to say that it's the best car that I have ever owned. I think I've had some pretty nice cars over the years. I just want to get in it and drive ALL the time! I hit 2,500+ miles today since 3/28. If you click on my name above, you will find the link there.

fastdriver

al2001 · May 2001

I've taken both the CL and the S-type out for test drives, and found only two things that I really didn't like, but reviews don't generally mention them. First, the seats. They felt confining, with the side bolsters pushing into my back. I'm only 5'6" tall, and feel like my shoulder blades are being cut into. Also, the side mirrors are ridiculously large, blocking forward side vision. Anyone else have similar feelings? Did you get used to these things?

canadiancl · May 2001

but that may be because I'm fairly slim. I too find forward side vision restricted but it never occurred to me the mirrors are bigger than normal. I always thought it was due to the design and location of the A pillar.

canadiancl · May 2001

Gary, it'll be interesting what Bose has to say about the system. Let us know. BTW, how do mean you have a working relationship with them? You worked for them previously?

tomsr · May 2001

I agree the seats are not soft like a Buick but
if you ever drive agressively they are appreciated
more.A simple solution is to get sheepskin seat
covers of a high quality which means thicker.I
put just one on my 98 CL to reduce wear of the leather and it is more comfortable plus does not get hot.The other solution for me is to lose 50 lbs.

phatnastycat · May 2001

Get a Toyota Solara SLE. The JBL system provides you bass you can feel, and that is without cranking the bass up to full output.
A good sound system is a MUST for me in a car, and I am extremely disappointed with the Bose system in the CL-S, enough that I may not buy the car unless improvements are made in 2002. I mean, yes the 260HP is awesome, but if you are stuck in traffic the majority of the time during you daily commute (like I am), you will get more use out of the stereo, than the engine.

ineto6 · May 2001

I had several fairly large sized people in my car's front passenger seat - I've asked and got no complains. Although, I want more lower back support. Maybe more side bolsters for more fun during turns.

The sound system is ok to me since I don't listen to just the bass. If I want bass, then I'll crank up my home system. I'd rather listen to the engine sings. Side mirrors are fine and not blocking my front views. Although the large A-pillar tend to block my view a little when turning.

ineto6 · May 2001

another thing - I've read that the RSX's bass is probably better than the CL - shessssss... so let's all hope that the CL's future stereo will be better for all to stop whining

canadiancl · May 2001

Stiff steering is good. The CL-S steering has very good "feel". I've come to really appreciate the CL-S's steering after recently test driving a couple of Infiniti I30's. The steering on the I30 seems inprecise with a vague on-centre feel by comparison. (The I30 seemed underpowered in comparison too!)
It's normal that the front tires look underinflated due to the weight over the front, the low-profile tires and the radial "bulge".

[Deleted User] · May 2001

Mr. Canada ;-), I work for an AV install company that is an authorized dealer and installer of Bose Professional products. I talked to the N. Cal rep, and he hooked me up with their automotive division in MA. They're very interested in what people are saying here and in the forums on acura-cl.com. I'm going to email them with the URL's. They are very sensitive to the brand value of the Bose name, and don't want to see anything negative associated with it.

I'm not looking for super bass - just a normal supply of low end, which is just not available from her CL Bose system, currently. However, I did stop by an Acura dealer during lunch and listened to one on the lot. It sounded much better than hers, so it might just be defective speakers, amp, or maybe they wire some of them incorrectly at the factory. Sometimes the dealer staff cranks the stereos while they are detailing. Maybe they blew the woofers.

I notice that some people are complaining about the seats. I find them to be quite comfortable. We have the standard CL, not S type, and find the smooth leather to be much more luxurious than the perforated type in the S. I also prefer the softer ride and steering over the S.

The only other negative that I've found, if you can call it that, is the extremely light weight steel used in the trunk and hood, almost bordering on flimsy. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the car's rigid structure.

Overall, though, the CL is an excellent value at under $26,000.

ineto6 · May 2001

Yes, I like the steering on the CL Type S as well. It is easy to park in a parking lot, unlike the looser feels of less sporty cars. Although, I wish the steering is a little tighter at high speeds. Going through a turn at high speed and you'll appreciate tighter steering.

The bad thing about perforated leather is when you have to clean them - need a toothpick to get the conditioner out of the holes or just let it sit like that.

fastdriver · May 2001

garypen-

Thanks for the info. I have a 2001 CL-S that I purchased on 3/28/01. I love this car compared to the 1999 Motor Trend Car of the Year that I drove before this. As a matter of fact, I got rid of that car 3 months early because I did not want it in MY name at 36,000 miles with no warranty.

Anyway, I digress, as usual. Years ago, to me, a stereo was a stereo. I'm no audiophile. Then, I bought a 1994 Infiniti J-30 that had a BOSE radio! WOW! Could I notice the difference in sound! Beautiful. This is my second car with a BOSE system. I don't think this one is as good as the one in my Infiniti. It's HEAD over heels better then the 360 watt, 11 speaker, Infinity upgraded system that was in my 300M, but the CL radio doesn't seem the same as my Infiniti J-30. It's true- there is no "boom-boom" bass sound. I don't usually listen to music booming like that, but I think it's needs more bass too. Do you think BOSE knows this and just builds the radios to Acura's specs or do you think there is something that they can do to improve this "problem"? My car has NOT been to the dealer yet, so they couldn't have blown any speakers or anything. I could live with it, but if it could be made better, that would be nice. What would you suggest we do? Do the Acura dealers have BOSE "specialists" that could check this out or should we call/e-mail BOSE?

I know that many people in the http://www.acura-cl.com forum complain about the lack of bass. They can't all have defective radios or blown speakers!

Thanks.

fastdriver

jrent · May 2001

I traded my '96 J30 in on the CL/S. I also noticed a big difference in the sound system, J30 was much better. My solution has been to leave the windows down Bose OFF and listen to the engine, of course this may change as the newness wears off, I've only had CL/S since March 15

obiwankenobi1 · May 2001

Hey, what can we say? My dad's J30t is still the only car in our family that had the best stock stereo ever. I used to sit in the garage and listen to CD's in the car because of how great the sound was.

I will admit, I put an aftermarket Nakamichi In-Dash CD player in my 90 BMW M3. Now THAT system sounds better than my 99 Acura CL ever was. Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus have always had crappy sound systems.

Obi
1990 BMW M3 Alpinweiss II

rickas47 · May 2001

I went looking for new vehicle last weekend. We drove a CL-S and pretty much fell in love with it. We never considered an Acura, the nearest dealer is 145 miles away. What is the general consensus on unscheduled maintence problems early on. Would i be making the trip every other week to resolve problems? Can (heaven forbid) the local Honda dealer service an Acura (didn't think so).
I'd probably have similar problems with any of the other cars that we are considering. Also one dealer was offering $2800 under MSRP. Is this a usual offer or is it year end clearance price?
Finally any known reasons to wait for a 2002? What changes are in store?
Thanx for your time.

phatnastycat · May 2001

No one seems to know anything about the 2002 in terms of when it will be available and what will be new. Acura is being very quit, and there doesn't seem to be a resource for answers.
Good luck with your purchase decision

mdaniel · May 2001

The word on Acura-CL.com is that the 2002 will feature a 6 speed manual as an option. So if you're at all hesitant about buying an auto I would sit tight until August or September and see if the stories are true. Other than that, Honda/Acura usually only makes superficial changes during a model's life cycle. ie. different wheels, different side mirrors, etc. Nothing that should influence your buying decision.
I've had my 2001 CL-S since March 2000 and have had few problems in the 20,000 miles I've driven. The biggest thing was a broken stabilizer bar which I was able to take care of as time permitted. (The car drove OK with it broken) I also had them take care of a couple of rattles while they had the car. That was my only service other than routine maintenance. You should find a good independent Honda/Acura shop in your area. Also, a Honda dealer should be able to work on you Acura since they're really the same thing. Acura is simply a marketing nameplate used in North America. In fact, my dad once took my mom's Honda to an Acura dealer when the master cylinder blew during a trip to Las Vegas. They had no problem fixing it.

alarmpro · May 2001

I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Canada. I was tickled to see how many CL-Ss there are in S.W. Canada. How can I get my US CL-S to run the daytime lights. My factory service manual gives virtually no info on this great feature.
Niagra Falls was beautiful and I proposed to my girlfriend and she said.....

Lee in Miami, Red/Tan CL-S non-navi 14 mos new.

charliemike · May 2001

ineto6 · May 2001

Lee - I am sorry, she said "no"... j/k

I don't see why you just leave your lights on when you drive since they turn off automatically. Unless you are talking about making the high beams as DRL, like GM does. That, I don't know.

90maxima · May 2001

I got my CL-S with Nav back in September last year. I was able to get the car for $2300 below invoice through Priceline.com. The purchase experience was the best I've ever had, with absolute no hassle. Considering that the 2002 are due shortly, perhaps you can try for a better deal in a month or so.

With the exception of the lack of bass from the BOSE system, when compared to my 90 Maxima SE, I'm very happy with the car. A few words of caution: that engine will hit the rev limiter without any advance warning in the form of vibration or straining sound :-)

canadiancl · May 2001

Congrats! But I guess you meant you were in S.E. Canada. Vancouver, B.C. (God's Country) would be S.W. Canada. And if you thought S.E. Canada was beautiful, you haven't seen nothing yet! Come on over to Western Canada. Take your fiancee thru Banff in your CL-S, then down thru the B.C. interior to Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler. Some of the sceneries are unbelievable. OK, I'll stop. Enough free promotion for Tourism B.C..

canadiancl · May 2001

As my CL-S has just hit the 4500 mile mark, there seems to be a noticeable increase in power - the engine just seems peppier than before. Maybe that's the official break-in threshold for the engine? Unfortunately, the number and variety of rattles seem to have increased proportionate to the power increase . If only they had given this car Toyota build quality

rickas47 · May 2001

Last niteI saw on Autoweek that the 6 speed will be the only significant change for 02. May be worth waiting for.

Lee -congrats - also canadianc - I may have to visit your part of the world - what is the best time of the year?

UGH! - I DON"T want to hear about rattles. I had my mind (feeble as it is) made up on a Solara B4 I drove the CL-S. The CL-S is sooo much more car for not much more money. Maybe they will take care of that in 2002 also???

canadiancl · May 2001

Best time of the year for B.C. is definitely late spring to early fall. Unless you're a skier, then Whistler offers the best skiing from early January to late February. Otherwise, late fall to winter is kinda dreary because it gets dark early and rains a fair bit. Just ask Othella Harrington or any one of the soon-to-be ex Vancouver Grizzlies.

canadiancl · May 2001

I've found that if the moonroof is closed, and you push up on it from the inside, there is a bit of up and down movement. Is that normal? Does it do that on all moonroofs? I'm just wondering if that is what's causing the infamous CL-S moonroof rattle. I've always assumed the rattle is coming from the sunshade. But maybe the culprit has always been the roof, and it's just that when the shade is closed you can't hear the rattle.

mdaniel · May 2001

The movement in the moonroof is probably the source of your rattle. I didn't have the moonroof rattle until I hat about 15,000 miles. Then I noticed I could reproduce it by pushing up on the glass with it closed. Its like the rubber seal rubs against the metal roof creating the rattle. I had it fixed by the dealer. Now the moonroof is much tigher and doesn't rattle. My 92 Integra had a moonroof that never rattled in 8 years so I think its something related to the design on our car.

mrdeeeno · May 2001

it's the rubber seal rubbing, like someone said. i just got some silicon spray and put some on the rubber - no more rattles.

i had a rattle in the center brake light too, but i stuck 2 rubber bumpers on the bottom corners between it and the glass, far enough down so you can't see it - no more rattles.

that's it. the other sounds i hear are just the leather rubbing against itself (on the back and bottom part of the seat). i have a fix in mind for that, but don't drive my car enough (it's garaged 50% of the time), and don't have it with me now to fix.

clboi2 · May 2001

Hey Guys,
I just went down to Pleasanton Acura here in the San Fran area and they have a 01' CL-P for $26,888. It has a spoiler and gold package added. It is a blue/purple looking color with tan interior. Is that a good price for this car? I am thinking of leasing this time and I have never done it before. But if I decide to finance, is that a fair deal? Thanks

jbhansen · May 2001

I've been reading elsewhere about the Integra replacement, the RSX. In the editorial, they say that all paints are clear coat except the Taffeta White. Is this statement true for the CL as well? Or was the editorial wrong about the paint altogether?

ineto6 · May 2001

if you are leasing it, then it probably is a good deal. For buying, you might want to find out how much miles have been put in that car.

sanju · May 2001

Hi all,
Do anybody have a rough estimate of the millage/gallon on your 2001 Acura CL type S? I got my car 9 months ago and I a getting not more than 14 miles within city. The sticker says 19 to 29.

mrdeeeno · May 2001

jeez, 14 miles on a tank?!

how bad is the city driving there?

the worse i got was around 20-something, moderate city driving and lots of hills.

alarmpro · May 2001

To canadiancl: I should have said SW Ontairo provence.
To mdaniel: I am almost at 16,000miles and still only a slight rattle from the sun roof when the inside shield is open.
To sanju: I have been getting 21 to 24 around town and over 32 on the highway. Hi Test gasoline only. I use Citgo and Amoco. Tire pressure 32 to 35 psi.
Dont forget ZAINO BROS polishes, I just put a 3 coat finish on the car and it still looks like brand new. Happy motoring from Lee in Miami, Red/Tan CL-S non navi

ineto6 · May 2001

alarmpro - that's great for you - maybe you should use the CL as the car for the bride and groom !!!

gas consumption - Hmmmm... I gas sanju has a major leadfoot and gets stuck in traffic an hour a day. I've been reporting my mpg around 24 with 50/50 around hilly areas. Looks like that car has something wrong with it if you are not idling in traffic that much.

canadiancl · May 2001

Actually sanju's mileage is not that unreasonable. I have been driving almost exclusively in city driving. Mostly stop and go, low speed driving. And I have been getting about 19 - 20 mpg. And mine are imperial gallons, so that equals approx. 16 mpg for US gallons.

ineto6 · May 2001

Hmmm... just an observation, but I've heard that a properly broken-in car has better gas mileage in the long run. Yep, stop-n-go traffic is takes a major tow on your gas consumption.

gto2050 · May 2001

Interesting to see that this site is still active if only part of the time. I have had my CL-S for over a year now and have 20,000 miles. I recognize some of the names from www.acura-cl.com. Everyone feels the radio is weak. I asked a car stereo installer what could be done and he said for about $800 he could give me all the bass I could want. Interesting though, if you play music with the engine off, the bass response is quite good but not enough power to bring it to the front.

I'm not one to mod my cars because they are generally leased but I did put in a cold air intake from Xephyr Performance. The ol' butt dyno says there is a pretty good power increase along with a wonderful noise (growl). I have changed my high beams to closely match the HID headlights and changed the "road lamps" with different bulbs that are brighter and a better match for the HID's.

I still love the car. I bought winter rims (TL rims) and snow tires for the winter and the car was fine. No rattles, no squeaks but I did have the sunroof "booming" fixed under warranty. It has been a great car and I still have another 27 months to go.

By the way, the mileage is pretty steady at 24-26 MPG.

sanju · May 2001

Hi All,
I drive my car almost in the silicon valley. Traffic is not that bad where I drive. It takes me maximum 15 minutes to drive 5 miles to go to my work place. I also take 92 gas from Chevron. If I put 15 gallons in my tanks after about 200 miles I get the yellow signal(low fuel) back.

mrdeeeno · May 2001

the sunroof rattle is pretty notorious, but not a rattle, it's the rubber squeaking.

some people take their cars to the dealer and have them look at it and whatever...i just bought silicon lube spray for like $3 and sprayed it on a paper towel and applied it onto the rubber.

no more sunroof rattle.

fender4 · May 2001

Hi, hows the amsoil holding out, I changed mine after 6k with filter. Looked pretty good, might wait for 10k next time. Found a way to get it about $4/ qt and $ 7 filter. Remember don't use their trans oil in Acura's. Did you change your trans oil?

canadiancl · May 2001

You're positive the moonroof rattle is from the rubber rubbing against the side of the roof opening? Because the noise sure sounds like a rattle than a squeak. Well, maybe like a creaking, crackling type noise. I do know for sure it is emanating from the moonroof 'cause when I tilt the roof up, all's quiet. BTW, when you said rubber seal, you're referring to the one that wraps all the way around the roof and is visible from the outside, not the short vertical rubber apron that is only visible when you tilt the roof up?
Thanks

mrdeeeno · May 2001

yes, if you open the sunshade with the moonroof closed, and teh car's not moving and if you push up on moonroof to simulate going over bumps and stuff, it'll sound like a rattle. i remember reading on acura-cl.com when people reported it to acura, what acura did was put on silicone lube onto the rubber seal. i thought it was a rattle at first too and i was almost gonna have acura tear apart my roof to find it...but then realized that i can reproduce it with the car not moving (that's how i found the rear brake rattle, by parking the car, climbing into the back seat and trunk while blasting a sir mix-a-lot cd).

yeah, it's the rubber stuff around the edge of the sunroof rubbing against the inner edge of the opening. i opened the sunroof, put sil. lube on the front and then closed it and tilted it to do the back edge of the sunroof.

ineto6 · May 2001

I'd like to know how your mpg if you just drive on the freeway on a tank of gas. It sounds like your short drives hurt your feul consumption. Maybe the car's engine has not properly warmed up.

gto2050 - yeah, I do agree that the Bose stereo is weak in the bass department. As I recall, my old Acura Integra had a tighter bass and it was not even a Bose system. Overall, the CL stereo is decent, but they should add more speakers and a larger bass. Still, I enjoy listening to engine just as much as any music that I might be listening..... double my pleasure

s852 · May 2001

Is there anyplace that has real wood REPLACEMENTS for the existing fake wood trim. I looked at sites that sell additional wood trim for the dash, a/c vents etc, but I do not want to junk up the interior with more trim, I just need a piece for piece replacement for the existing fake factory "wood."
The trim that runs down the center console just looks too cheap and fake on the new CLs and TLs.

Acura CL

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