Rate my Car - 2001 Acura CL Type S

"All Motor Is Best Motor" (acidicheartburn)
09/30/2014 at 21:50 • Filed to: Rate My Car, don't be shy i don't bite, very hard

On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate my car? 0 being a total garbage heap, 10 being a McLaren F1 LM.

For example: Orlove's beetle, I would say 6/10 quite desirable.

Specs: 2001 Acura CL Type S

3,500-ish lbs

3.2L V6

260 HP

225ish lb-ft of torque

Revs to ~7000 RPM before redline

FWD, 5 speed auto (sadly)

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DISCUSSION (27)

Nibby > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 21:52

7/10 would DD

All Motor Is Best Motor > Nibby
09/30/2014 at 21:54

Yeah, and she is my DD too.

Thanks!

JAREAL > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 21:54

6/10 A little boring, but otherwise a nice regular car

jkm7680 > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 21:54

What would you put it as?

What would a 4-5 be?

Nibby > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 21:57

I like it when "she" and "DD" are in the same sentence.

All Motor Is Best Motor > jkm7680
09/30/2014 at 21:57

I'd probably put it around a 5. Better than a Camry or a Civic, but not as desirable as a base WRX or Focus ST. I love my car, but it's far from greatness.

I'd say a 4 would probably be base model Focus, or an Altima, Accord, or Camry. Good, solid transportation but nothing too exciting.

Jedidiah > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 21:57

5/10 because it is a nice regular car.

Would have been a 4/10 if it was a sedan.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:04

Looks pretty clean. If we're grading on a scale to McLaren F1, I'd give it about a 5...it's as good as or better than most things. I always liked the CL, just a simple, handsome design.

All Motor Is Best Motor > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
09/30/2014 at 22:07

It's clean and understated, but I've always hated the prissy smile the front end seems to have. I thought the TL Type S had a better front end, but I really like the rear end on the CL, as long as it has the spoiler. For whatever reason, whenever it's clean I always see people looking at my car when I'm at a stoplight. Lately though, with all of the good looking modern offerings, all I can see is bumper anymore. I agree with your assessment, though 5/10 seems fair.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:09

Maybe throw a pair of fog lights in the lower grill, break it up a little?

All Motor Is Best Motor > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
09/30/2014 at 22:11

It already has fog-ish lights. They're basically low power accent lights that are always on when the headlights are on.

My citroen won't start > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:12

I'd say 5/10, nice DD!

Trevor Mohr > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:25

8/10 would definitely DD. Ultra reliable, comfortable, great all around luxury coupé. Wing looks quite nice, it's tasteful. White looks great on the CL. I like your car. :D

Also, I just saw your article of the detail job you did. Nice work! I love the wood trim on the interior. First thing that comes to mind is a Merc-Benz from that time. Looks very classy.

Long Live the Longdoor > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:32

I'd say a solid 5. I wish Acura still made a coupe...

All Motor Is Best Motor > Long Live the Longdoor
09/30/2014 at 22:45

The TSX V6 was their last desirable car, and the closest thing to a "coupe" in the last 8 years.

All Motor Is Best Motor > Trevor Mohr
09/30/2014 at 22:47

Thanks! I will say the wood trim isn't real wood, but there's worse fake wood trim that what Acura used. I won't say the interior is beautiful or extremely upscale, but I love how clean and simple everything is to use and look at. Makes modern car interiors look like a fussy mess (and sometimes they are).

Trevor Mohr > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 22:49

It's not real but it looks nice. I like simplicity. I can't stand most modern interiors because they are ridiculously over-designed in my opinion. Take any new Lexus interior for example. Way too many curves, it makes me unsettled. Even the W222 S-Class has an over-designed interior.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > All Motor Is Best Motor
09/30/2014 at 23:16

I'd say 6/10.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/01/2014 at 01:08

I'm going to say a 6 or 7 as a daily driver. Sure, it would be great if it had a manual, but the CL is one of those bygone Acuras that were really cool in their own way.

All Motor Is Best Motor > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
10/01/2014 at 01:11

Back when Acura actually had affordable semiluxury and performance.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/01/2014 at 01:14

Well exactly. Before they became ugly and clueless. :-)

All Motor Is Best Motor > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny
10/01/2014 at 01:35

I really liked the '05-'08 TL. The new one is just a pig. It might be relatively fast with surprising handling when equipped with the SH-AWD but god it's gotten huge, and it's just not good looking. I've tried and tried and I can't like it. The outgoing TSX is the last noteworthy car they make IMO. The ILX is awful. I sat inside one at the autoshow and walked away completely underwhelmed. It's not good looking, and the interior screamed "cost cutting" like crazy. A totally boring offering.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/01/2014 at 01:46

The pre-'09 TL was awesome. I'm kicking myself for not buying an '08 TL Type-S with a manual.

bmil128 > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/01/2014 at 03:46

6/10. I had a silver '01 Type S I bought new and loved it, torque steer from the FWD could be a bit much at times. But, this model had a flaw in the 2nd-3rd clutch design that caused many failures, my first transmission failed under original warranty at 43,000 miles, second one failed at 106,000 miles. Honda by that time had extended the power train warranty to 100,000 miles and the dealer replaced it under goodwill, a later class action suit extended it to 7 yrs/100,000 miles. I traded it in for my wife's Lexus soon after.

jkm7680 > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/01/2014 at 07:22

I'd go with a 5 in that case.

All Motor Is Best Motor > bmil128
10/01/2014 at 15:08

You seem just as well informed about the A-T trans issues as I am. I actually wrote up a large post on the Acurazine forums recap-ing exactly what's wrong with the trans after reading someone's thorough investigation of Honda's own investigations into the problems.

My first trans was replaced under the big recall after about 72,000 miles when they saw evidence of "wear". The second one died after only 17,000 miles, total car mileage around 89,000. 17,000! By then it had been more than 7 years, but I complained enough to Acura that the local division rep cut me a deal and the replaced it for labor cost only.

I've been avoiding any hard 2-3 and 3-2 shifting and hoping I can make this trans last. From what I gather on the forums, supposedly any AT's built after mid year 2005 are supposedly mostly solved of the clutch pack quality issues, but there's no way I can tell what year my 3rd trans was made in. They never sorted out the extremely high temps these things have, either. I'll have to drive the car into the ground as it is, sadly, but so far she's been doing me well. Very reliable other than the trans and the stupid seatbelt retractors.

Alex B > All Motor Is Best Motor
10/05/2014 at 16:32

Solid 6/10.