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Read this before purchasing an Acura 3.2 CL - READ ONLY

71 messages,  Last post on Mar 26, 2002 at 8:34 PM

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What is this discussion about? Acura CL, Acura, Auto Body, Paint, Sedan

Messages Page 4 of 8

#27 of 71 Mileage Continued - Acura actually gets 15/24 mpg, NOT 19/29!!! by happykt

Oct 19, 2001 (10:26 am)

I'm the one who posted that the paint and fuel mileage on my 2001 Acura CL was lousey. Several of you guys have said you are getting over 20 mpg. but thats just a fantasy figure to me. I am nowhere close to that mpg and am only getting 15 mpg in the city and about 24 mpg on the freeway.
 
I've had 4 very long conversations with the Acura customer service people and the dealer I bought my car from in April 2001 about my mileage problems. When I told them I was getting 15 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway they said that was typical. I then mentioned the sticker on the car said 19/29 and they told me the mileage posted on the sticker was done by the EPA under ideal conditions and that this wasn't typical fuel mileage!!!! Needless to say, I was very p*ssed!!!
 
They then told me there was nothing they could do to help me out.
 
I am going to tell everyone I know that I was deceived and I will probably never buy another Acura again. As for the resale, the lady that lost $8,500 on the sale of her car was just more depressing news to me.
 
This car is getting the same fuel mileage as a gas guzzling SUV, and if I want to sell it, I'll lose my shirt to boot. Great, just great!
 
It would have been cheaper to buy an American SUV, because then I could have gotten the same fuel mileage but in a bigger and heavier vehicle without pretending that I was trying to do the right thing in buying a supposedly fuel efficient car, beause I AM NOT driving a fuel efficient car!!
 
I also wouldn't be paying for premium gas or the 'luxury car insurance' costs that come with owning an Acura CL. I am very unhappy with this car, especially in regards to the paint and the fuel mileage. I basically try to avoid driving my CL as much as possible because i feel I bought an overpriced gas guzzler. I should have bought a Volkswagen Jetta.
 
Unhappy in the Piedmont (SC)

#30 of 71 teo & happykt- by fastdriver

Oct 19, 2001 (2:56 pm)

teo-
Nothing wrong with an Impala. Glad you're having good luck.
happykt-
I'm sorry to read about your unhappiness with your CL. I certainly can sympathize with you because I had a number of problems when I had my "Motor Trend Car of the Year"- 1999 Chrysler 300M. It got to the point where I hated to sign on to the 300M site here because mostly everyone was getting great gas mileage and weren't experiencing any problems with their 300M's.
So, I guess it happens that you can get a bad one in the bunch. Actually, this is the first car that has even gotten anywhere near the mileage figures shown on the window sticker. I thought everyone knew that those were under "ideal"(whatever that is) conditions.
You really should go to http://www.acura-cl.com site and ask in there about your problems. They are a great bunch. There are even guys there who work at Acura dealerships and might be able to help you with the gas mileage problems. I do know that if you take off from lights and race everything that you see, you mileage will drop. Only lately have I gunned it a few times and found out that I did pay for it with less than 20MPG!! A first for me. Since day one, I have never gotten less than 300 miles per tank or less than 20MPG. That's city/highway driving with/without AC on. Most times sunroof open.
I hope things get better for you because I know what it's like to be paying for and driving something that you're not happy with.
Keep us informed.
fastdriver

#35 of 71 by cyranno99

Oct 22, 2001 (11:40 am)

fastdriver's post is right on the money.....
 
yeah, I do feel bad that some people got stuck with "lemons". All car makers have this problem..... some just have more than others. I think if you understand the manufacturing process then you'll appreciate that even car on the same assembly line won't necessarily be the same.
 
I'd say that you will have a hard time achieving good gas mileage with any V6 in the city. As for highway driving, I hope that you are getting the figure because you have your windows down and not exactly 100% highway......

#36 of 71 cyranno99 & happykt- by fastdriver

Oct 22, 2001 (2:12 pm)

cyranno99-
 
"I think if you understand the manufacturing process then you'll appreciate that even cars on the same assembly line won't necessarily be the same."
 
YOU'RE right on the money with that. My 300M was made in Canada on the SAME assembly line with the Dodge Intrepids, Chrysler Concordes and the former Chrysler LHS which they have discontinued for 2002. These cars were all made by the same people, with the same parts, but the reliability varied greatly! Many people had to have their power window motors replaced several times. That was probably the only problem I didn't have with that car! LOL.. It is crazy. That said, it does seem that many of the foreign name cars have fewer problems then the US ones. WHY? I can think of a number of reasons, but I don't want to start any wars here.
 
happykt-
 
I forgot about one thing RE: the paint. A week ago this past Friday, I was on I-95. Suddenly I heard a VERY loud BANG! It sounded like a rock hit the top of my car. My first thought- a big dent. When I got to my destination, it was dark, but I did look and didn't see anything. The next day I looked again because I was sure there would be a big chip. I didn't see a thing. This weekend when I finally washed my car and Zainoed it, I did notice a very slight dent in the top, but no chip. I can't believe it. The noise was unbelievable. I did see a small chip at the very front of the hood, near the "V", which COULD have been eliminated IF I had the bra on. The rock probably hit there and bounced up to hit the top of the car? I did have the moonroof open! I could have been knocked out if it hit me! Never thought of that until this minute.
 
fastdriver

Messages Page 4 of 8

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