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Honda CRV 2004- Pros and Cons
I am interested in hearing from 2004 owners. what is your take on it..Drive comfort etc. I am planning on buying one within a week..and are doing last minute opinions..
Thanks
Tami
Thanks
Tami
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The roof rack they give is useless. The only option I paid for is for a roof rack because I use it a lot. What the CRV gets as a roof rack is what Honda calls a base carrier - two parallel bars that cannot be adjusted. Yesterday i had the need to use my roof rack. The things I loaded on the roof rack and tied all got shifted before I could go half a mile and my ties got loosened. This is because it is not possible to tie anything that you carry on the roof rack from one side to the other. It is dangerous. Before I could go five miles I had to keep on getting off the car every half a mile and refasten my ties and that was going at less than 10 miles an hour because if I went faster than that the things on the roof would have fallen damaging my car as well as causing a road hazard to other vehicles. Try it. You cannot. You can keep something on the two base carrier bars and tie it on to these two bars. However, with every turn of the vehicle they will move from side to side because you cannot fasten them to either side. I thought a SUV is a Utility Vehicle. What is the purpose of a Utility Vehicle if you cannot take something on a roof rack even in an emergency.
I am very happy with my purchase.
I bought the CR-V for it's versatility, features and gas mileage. I seriously looked in person and on the web at similar SUV's for about a month.
My fav features are:
CD & Cassette player. Rear seats are higher than front which gives passengers good visibility. Huge cargo area. Lots of leg room in rear seats. Front pass through. Tinted windows. I am just really impressed with it. I feel so smart driving it, and I know from experience that this Honda will last me a very long time.
Tami - Here are a few "Pros"
The interior is almost the size of a midsize SUV, yet is gets terrific gas mileage. While they aren't completely foolproof, they are among the most reliable vehicles on the market. It scores very highly in safety crash tests. It includes features that you'd never think were important until you've lived with the vehicle for a while.
A few "cons"
Like any SUV, it's tippy during emergency handling. Towing is not its forte and the OEM rookrack isn't as good as aftermarket options. It can be expensive to repair in a fender bender.
Money was not a major issue. I just wanted to buy a car which I liked.
What I liked in CR-V was: POSITION of gear shift and parking break levers,
shelf/passage between front seats, in-dash 6-CD changer, plenty of cargo space (for me), powerful 4-cyl economical engine on 'regular' fuel, tinted "green glass", quiet engine.
What I disliked in CR-V: Grade Logic Transmission System (you have a feeling that smth drag you back on downhill coasting, shaky suspension and noisy tires, mediocre radio sound.
What I bought as aftermarket accessories: Fog lights (very GOOD - highly recommend), roof rack (mediocre ), Interior silver decals and leather steering wheel cover (which jazz up dull interior), chrome exhaust pipe (worthless thing), front splash guards (why are they not 'standard'?), leather seats (very good), 4 -piece floor/cargo mats (practical), cargo net (never used so far), winter heated seats (were dead on arrival - aftermarket but under Honda warranty) .
All of these goodies brought the price to about $26,000 - but I got what I wanted.
Now I have 10,000 - no problems so far... .
I start rotating tires on each 10,000 as the Manual recommends. I do 5 tire rotation.
Some people here reported that the life expectancy of EX tires is about 35,000.
But I need 50,000 to complete the full cycle. Is that mean that I have to rotate them each 7,000
to complete full cycle before 35,000 ??? I want to wear them ALL evenly and replace all 5 to
the superior brand. And also rotate 5 tires is much easier than 4.
I am not a complainer. I want to enjoy my new EX. When I complain about problems and cons I cannot enjoy my new car. I agree that it has a better engine than the old one (the 1999 one I exchanged for). Now about the screeching noise from my new EX. Tried calling Conicelli Honda Service dept. many times. Left multiple telephone voice messages. Conicelli Honda Service Dept. did not have the courtesy to even reply any of my telephone messages. I am thoroughly frustrated with Conicelli Honda in Conshohocken, PA.
In utter frustration yesterday evening I took my new 2004 EX to the dealer and met with the Sales Manager. Gave him the key and told him to drive it himself. So we went for a drive withthe Sales Manager driving. He admitted there is a very audible screeching noise and that the noise is annoying to him also. The noise starts at about 45 MPH speed and gradually increases with speed and at about 60 MPH it is unbearable. His opinion was that the noise was coming from the new hood rack. I disagreed with him and said that the noise was there even before the hood rack was put in. But people can disagree on things. That is OK. He told me to make an appointment with the Service Dept. and bring the car in to attend to the noise.
Well, I have left three messages with the Service Dept. at Conicelli Honda from 7:30 AM, at about 10: AM I left a message with the Manager, Service Dept. It is now 11:10 AM. No one at Conicelli Honda has returned my calls to make the appointment. So I have to take a day off from work to make the appointment, another day to drop the car off etc. etc. The same routine I went with the Roof rack. I live in PA but work in New York. Conicelli Honda in Conshohocken, PA is Lousy, Lousy. Lousy. Lousy. When are they going to let me enjoy the new car.
By the way I contacted Honda. They opened a case file about this screeching noise. That was lst Thursday. I was told that a Technical person would get back to me in three days. Today is Wednesday - seven days later I am still waiting for Honda tech. person to call. What is wrong with Honda??????????????????????????
Took it to Service yesterday, Tuesday. Service manager inspected the car and stated the hood rack has been installed correctly and disagreed with the sales manager. Anyway I left it there for them to attend to it. Will keep you guys and gals informed of the outcome.
By the way they gave me a free courtesy car - a 2003 Toyota RAV4 with 4500 miles on it. Much more comfortable and smoother ride than the CRV, no screeching noises, no rattles, better shock absorbing, better cornering and much much more comfortable than the CRV. Interior is not as spacious as the CRV but what a difference in driving comfort.
Psychologically your problems are understandable:
You had had an OLD car and it was... an old car.
If anything was not perfect in that car you can forgive it.
Now your have a BRAND NEW CAR and your expect
this car to be PERFECT !!!! No so ... sometimes.
Everything what is not right or not expected driving you
nuts and everything is ... lousy.
Concentrate on things that are better in your new car
than old.
Don't worry, be happy :-) .
Has anyone added the Keyless entry system (from Hondaaccessories.com and others) to 2004 LX?
The instructions do not match the actual 2004.
For example, should we remove the box? Where are the self-tapping screws on the box? In 2004 LX, I have a small door at the bottom - looks like it can be pryed open. But even then, the box itself is solidly attached to the car...How do I pull it out?
Any help would be appreciated...
I installed the keyless entry myself, not that hard.
There is a small panel in the back of the storage bin/CD holder. Pry off this panel with a small screwdriver. You will then see a single screw that attaches the compartment to the dash. Remove the screw. Now comes the tricky part, take both of your hands and put them inside the compartment and push to get traction, then pull the compartment out. It should pop out, you may have to wiggle it a little to get it out. From there attach the receiver and read instr to program it. Good Luck!
But...there is something wrong with the brakes. I hear thumping or clicking noise when I stop at a red light, with my foot on the brake pedal. I hear grinding noise when I turn the steering wheel, with my foot on the brake pedal (as in doing a K-turn). Sometimes, my car seat and steering wheel vibrates while stopping at a red light, when my engine is in drive and foot on brake.
I've read other CRV owners have the same problem with brake noise, is this a recurring theme or mine happens to be the 'imperfect' one? Any suggestions? I brought my car in to the dealer and they said I need to leave it for a day. Since I will be without a car for a day, should the dealer give me a loaner for the day, since this is a brand new car?
Also, when looking at the front tire, I was surprised to be able to see the inside of my car and the other side!!! Based on my past experience, I thought the area by the two front tires should be sealed by a black plastic panel (or wheel aligner) to prevent snow, salt and debris from getting into the engine. This caused me great concern since I live in NY and we get pretty snowy winter and that I have seen snow and debris accumulate in that area-by the tires, against the roof of the wheel aligner. Has this cause any concern for anyone? As a matter of fact, this caused so much concern that I started to doubt as to whether I have purchased a quality car or not. My hubby thinks I am crazy. I am just not used to being able to see my engine from the outside, without opening the hood. I've looked at other older models (parked on the street) and saw that area was sealed. Why did Honda change the design? Won't the engine rust with salt and snow getting inside? I asked the dealer if there's any accessoreis/parts that I can purchase to seal that area off, he said no. I would like to hear what the owner CRV owners' thought on this. In addition, is there a brush guard for the car? Sometimes, I drive over a pile of snow, just want to make sure that the parts are well protected. Thanks for your feedback. Carmen
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I actually drive a Ford Focus as my primary car, and although have not had trouble free experience, I find the Focus much more comfartable and can take it for 6+ hour road trips. My 2c
Also I am really really curious why a Honda dealer would have a loaner car from Toyota. Especially a RAV which just happens to be the competition for the owners CRV. Just REALLY curious thats all. ;-)
The CR-V was just as some of you said, the seats were a bit uncomfortable for me too. And there wasn't enough leg room. I'm 5' 11", 185lbs, I had the seat all the way back and my legs didn't feel comfortable. Also, (My Opinion!) I think the CR-V looks bland or dull (kind of). Pluses for the CR-V are the interior space.
Anyway, I thought I should post here since this is a pro/con forum for the CR-V... my 2 cents.
But a word of caution to those looking to buy a CRV -- I don't know how I managed not one but two different test drives and *still* didn't notice, but make absolutely SURE you are comfortable in the front seats.
Right now I'm exploring local stores that carry lumbar-support car seat inserts and other "add-ons" to make the seat compatible with my lower back. If you're looking at CRVs (in my opinion, an otherwise excellent vehicle), see if you can't get an extended test drive, or test drive several CRVs at different dealers.
And a dead pedal would be nice.
And variable intermitten wipers.
And a power lock button on both sides.
But that's it. Nothing else.
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