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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 6 of 8

#42 of 71 2001 CL-S tranny went to hell just shy of 45K miles by andergtr

Dec 19, 2001 (9:53 pm)

this is my third acura and easily my most disappointing experience--i previously had an '89 integra and an '87 legend, both of which were great cars. based on my experience with acura, i figured that the CL-S would be a great deal.
 
little things started surfacing on the car, including a pulley that made noise and had to be replaced before the 7,500-mile mark. also, the moonroof has continued to creak even after the dealer has inspected, resealed, and reinstalled the moonroof.
 
the final straw came two weeks ago, when the tranny started to hunt for gears, shifting VERY abruptly. i figured that i would be able to get home and then drop off the car at the dealer first thing the next morning. no such luck--the tranny got stuck in third gear, and i had to drive the car back to the dealer (about 15 miles away) in stop/go traffic on a friday afternoon...all while being stuck in third gear. imagine going from 0 to 20 mph in third--guess i should be thankful that it didn't get stuck in first.
 
anyway, i experienced much of the same frustration with acura. of course they apologized, but only after two angry phone calls to their headquarters in torrance, california, did i finally get them to extend the warranty to 75,000 miles.
 
the car has a remanufactured tranny in it now, and i'm probably going to be looking at BMW's in the next few months.
 
sorry, but this car has been a big letdown in terms of reliability. too bad--it's been a very fun car to drive otherwise.

#43 of 71 stuck in 3rd, huh? by cyranno99

Dec 20, 2001 (3:55 pm)

so, how often did you abuse that sport shift? How do you know that it "stuck" in third?

#44 of 71 CL -- Acura salesman's view by rkw2

Jan 03, 2002 (9:39 pm)

I sell cars for an Acura dealer here in NJ. Truthfully, I am not very impressed with the 3.2 CL or CL-S. It does not have the same high quality feel that the other Acuras have. I thought there is a lot of wind noise from the moon roof (even when closed but the sun shade is open). I find it has less power, less precise handling, and a harsher/noisier ride when compared to the 3.2 TL. The 2 cars are very similar, with the major difference being 2 doors (CL)vs 4 doors (TL). This is my 2 cents worth.
 
As a word of advice for those leasing. If you are having the paint problesm. make sure you document everything, especially any communications with Acura. You don't want to be held responsible for this problem and then be charged $1000's when you turn the cars in at the end of your lease.

#45 of 71 frankly, by popkwizz

Jan 03, 2002 (10:47 pm)

If carmakers had balls they'd replace, immediately, defective products. A defective paint job on a car is defective protective coating. Once the little peeling begins, the owner is never comfortable with the vehicle. Reading all of these posts puts a new twist on the term 'anxiety'. I think the guy with the Acura did the right thing getting rid of it, though I would have sued Honda for a replacement as they obviously sold a pig. I think imbro is on the right track looking for a BMW but I wouldn't spend a whole pile of dough on one at the outset. I have an '84 318i that has 265000 miles on it and my wife has put 100000 on it with her horrible driving habits, giving me testament to BMW durability. I have not been the best dad to that car and it's given me driving pleasure and safety for 5 years. I paid 5 grand for it and have probably put 5 grand into it and it's still a better car than most new 15000 dollar tin cans out there (witness: Toyota Corolla). Years ago I owned a little Toyota pickup with a door that couldn't have been more than 1.5 inches thick and the door clasp that did not look like the greatest locking device for the task. When I looked at the very first Acuras out of curiosity I opened the door and, lo and behold!, there was the very same door latch as on my low-end Toyota pickup. I looked no further.

#46 of 71 rkw2 by har1bush

Jan 06, 2002 (11:04 pm)

how is it possible that the CL has LESS power than the TL? They have the same powertrain and weigh essentially the same.... As far as the quality of "feel" that just might be because Acura had to cut corners to put in a lot and charge less.

#47 of 71 2001 Acura CL-S rotar problems by nick51

Jan 17, 2002 (12:07 pm)

Has anyone else had problems with their rotars? I purchased my car when they first came out and it has 32K miles. The rotars have been turned TWICE! I have gone back and forth with the dealership and Acura trying to get them to replace the rotars but they will not. The warranty has paid for the turning. I think this is crazy. I am a normal driver. No crazy driving. They say the brake pads are fine. Something is not right!

#48 of 71 rotor by cyranno99

Jan 17, 2002 (12:52 pm)

just make sure that they don't charge you an arm and a leg for it... you might want to check with the guys over at acura-cl.com

#49 of 71 American vs. Japanese by taylor47

Jan 24, 2002 (11:15 pm)

In some of the discussions it is brought up that Japanese cars not made in Japan are inferior and I for one would have to disagree.
 
I am the owner of 2 domestic cars and 2 Japanese cars built in U.S. one Suburu Legacy and a Mazda 626. There is a great build quality to both the Amer-Jap cars that totally eludes domestic vehicles with few exceptions.
 
But if you look at two vehicles of similar retail value at initial purchase and then look at selling price 2-3 years later you'll find that the Japanese vehicle holds a better price.
 
My example is a 1999 Buick Regal GS vs. Acura 3.2 of the same year. The price of the Buick drops like a stone! Is it all hype?

#50 of 71 by teo

Jan 25, 2002 (7:55 am)

Having previously owned a Made in Japan 1997 Acura 2.5TL, I can say that the current generation TL is quite a dissapointment. The Old TL was not only a handsome looking car (The looks wear/age very well)but it was tight as a drum....the build quality, fit/finish and interior materials were simply top notch and in tune with what one could have expected of an Acura automobile of the time. It was built as good as the old Legend sedan.
 
The current car is about $4K less than the old Japanese TL sedans and guess why? Because the current car is a cheap Honda Accord clone, looks and feels like one right down to the interior materials, chintzy water based paint, thin sheetmetal, etc.
 
For people that never owned Acuras from the "Golden Years" simply don't know how good these cars used to be. The current RL is the last one of the Made in Japan breed and it even doesn't compare to the old Legend sedans and coupes.

#51 of 71 Someone a few posts back said.. by wilcox

Jan 25, 2002 (8:09 am)

"If carmakers had balls they'd replace, immediately, defective products."
 
Well, Ford is very good at owning up to defects and fixing them promptly. Yet people bash them for it. Ford is busy protecting their customers and they get badmouthed for it.
 
After reading this discussion, I think Acura needs to have a recall on it's Customer Service Dept.

Messages Page 6 of 8

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