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Comments
Years ago did something similar to that. Built a frame and hinged the plywood covering (2 piece) so they could be opened from the top. The end next to the back door was left open.
Great storage for suitcases and such as it was about a foot high. Covered it with carpet closely matching the car carpet.
Looking in thru a window it looked like the rear floorboard as it ran from the back door to the back of the front seat.
Amazing what we can do when we set our minds to it!
Kip
I loved the Acura RDX on paper.. didn't even mind the price... as replacement for my 2001 Lexus RX300. But drove it and hated the hard ride and am turned off by bad mileage reports.
Will drive CR-V EX-L next weekend. Anybody else cross shop these? How's the handling, highway ride over time... how does (mostly) FWD AWD system work in bad weather? We do mostly long-ish trips as a family of three. Like the cargo room, rear legroom.
FYI, also considering Subaru Tribeca, but too big and Honda ergonomics win hands down. Your thoughts welcome.
ed
OK, in that case I better not say anything! :P
Well, seriously, if you get it in black, the front is not so "prominent".
Visualizing yours as being basically a 5" thick wall to wall cushion.
Probably light weight and easy to remove, if you need the extra depth.
Seems like a good plan.
Mine was bolted down and would have been real troublesome to remove. :sick:
However, the rest of the story is that new power tools were on the scene. One way or another, some wood was going to be cut, planed, drilled, screwed, and whatever.
If "Necessity is the mother of invention" , then New tools and idle hands may be the "Daddy".
Kip
Obviously others share your view, as the 07 CR-V seems to be selling well!
Remembering back to the early 90s. Dodge trucks were rugged but not selling well. The "LOOK" had been around a long time and change was very much needed.
The 94 Rams were a radical change with their' "muscle lines", and "BIG RIG" style grill. It was instant success or failure, according to the eyes looking at it.
We liked it. Bought a new one in 96 and another in 98.
I actually like the bold new "look" of the 07 CR-V. The grill is different but nice!
Kip
If a car CAME WITH a NAV and/or it was a cheap option, I would not avoid that car just because of that. But the portable NAV seems to be more practical and the learning curve transfers with you from car to car.
What will Honda think of next?
[1] There are exceptions, but I generally find that anything that takes longer than 8 seconds to get from 0-60 to be underpowered.
[2] Not sure if Acura requires it, but I am of the belief that turbocharged engines need synthetic oil because the turbos have a tendency to cook and sludge regular oil, whereas it's not absolutely necessary with normally-aspirated engines.
As you noted, the Subaru's system is RWD-biased. It can vary power around to enhance traction as needed, and is also proactive (like RDX) in the sense that it moves power fore/aft on braking/acceleration. VTD/VDC and the limited slip rear diff will also move power side to side as needed for stability, traction, handling, etc.
Of all these systems, I would rate the CR-V and RX systems as the most primitive, and the RDX and Subaru systems as the most advanced. You can decide if you merely want wet weather 'reactive' AWD or all-weather 'proactive' AWD. They are all good choices in one way or another.
I understand your thoughts on the Tribeca's looks -- can't quite get into it either. If you don't mind a slightly smaller vehicle, the Legacy and Ouback wagons are also worth a look.
Good luck!
It's funny that people associate Subaru with "inexpensive and built to stay that way", for some reason German car owners in particular seem to do that.
I had to point out to a few of them that the Outback and Tribeca use the same soft cloth/perforated ceiling liner as $90,000 VW Phaeton.
I haven't been in a CR-V but don't most reviewers say it's improved noticeably? I'm sure it's fine for this price range.
-juice
It's not that inexpensive any more...
Nowadays that's nothing. The BMW X3 starts at $38k, if you want a premium small SUV, and I'm not sure the interior is any better, to be honest.
Edit: Edmunds' RAV4 tester cost them something like $33.7k, and CX7s are up above $30 as well. I saw a Sante Fe at a dealership that listed for $32k.
I think any new shopper in this class is going to experience a bit of sticker shock.
-juice
Welcome to old age. :P
What is?
Now, Acura RDX is in a different class. SH-AWD (as well as VTM-4 currently used in Pilot) are pro-active systems. SH-AWD is actually permanently AWD which proportions power front and rear (and side to side between rear wheels) based on throttle use and cornering, with or without traction issues.
Now if we can just get in car navigation systems off that $2,000 figure and down to ~$200 where the aftermarket systems seem to be settling....
I'll probably buy a 2nd portable unit soon, so my wife can keep one in her car. We fight over it all the time.
-juice
If you are, you should change where you go.
-juice
The units sold in US Honda's is not the same as the one sold in the Acura line. I don't have exact figures in front of me, but I recall the Acura's being something like $2,200 or $2,500. The Honda NAV is about $1,500 or $1,800.
Obviously, the Honda unit isn't going to have all the same features as the Acura variant, but they are working on making them more affordable.
The Subaru gives you power to ALL wheel all the time. If You don't have to get any spin before all wheels are pulling or pushing. Much, Much better.
Also you have to have enough power to turn the wheels. That's a problem with the 2.4. It has a hard time just turning two wheels without the transfer clutch or any other wheels.
Sorry, Honda CRV 0, Subaru 100.
The 2nd gen looked more like the Volvo XC70.
Now the 2rd gen looks like the XC90's.
The keep looking better, though, and they are certainly going in the right direction. I think it's one of the nicer features on the new design.
-juice
I hope 2 things happen - we see more OE systems, and that the prices for such systems start dropping. That hasn't happened yet.
Once they can get the cost under a grand, for a nice built-in with a 6-7" screen size, I bet about half of all new consumers want it. Right now I bet the penetration is not even 10%.
-juice
Ahem, once the Front wheels spin it goes into 4FW not BWD. That's why Honda refers to it as "Real Time 4WD", not "Real Time FWD or BWD".
On the other side we have a steep driveway (10% grade I think) - with a 30 degree bend in it at the steep part. When I first started using the CRV up there in snow - I always would put it in 1st, wind the engine out a fast as it would go and try to maintain as much speed as possible. One time my wife drove it up from a complete stop. (Didn't know she was going to do it!) and I watched as the various wheels slipped and gripped. It seemed very controlled to me from the outside.
In the end I 've been buying Honda over Subies for the complete package. (I had a Sube once). The CRV has more cargo area, gets good mileage and is generally nicer in my opinion. The Subie does beat the CRV on the last 150 feet of the 275 mile ride to the mountains, but that's the only place it's better.
My opinion.
Is that 1000%. An impossibility of course.
Sorry, Honda CRV 0, Subaru 100.
Subaru would probably be the third or fourth brand I would consider after Honda and Toyota and then maybe among Mazda, Nissan. Problem is, when I've crunched the numbers, for a comparably equipped vehicle, Subarus are more expensive than Honda. Sometimes way more expensive. Motorweek just did a review of a top of the line Legacy. It was over $35K :surprise: .
Your thoughts are like comparing.a standard Corvette $65,000 VS a racing model at over 1 million.
A well equipt Subaru Legacy is actually LESS than a comparably equipt Honda CRV. Check Edmunds on that price.
Also, don't forget, the repair costs for a CRV are about 3 times what the same repairs are for a Sub. Not that either would need much repairing.
It is not difficult to add heaters to any cloth seat. I may even go that route someday.
I think the best seats I ever had were Alcantara (sp?) Faux Suede in the Civic Si.
The price is similar. For about $600 more I can get a new 07 LX over a low mileage 05 SE. My thought was that five years from now the 07 would be worth more because it is the newer body style. Obviously the SE gives you more goodies like leather, CD Changer, AWD.
Since the Flux Capacitor in my DeLorean is broken, we can only compare the previous data. Take the resale values of 2001 CR-V SE and compare it to 2002 CR-V LX. You will be plesantly surprized.
And NO YELLING!
I'm not sure if the AWD acts first, or the traction control would, but I'm sure together they are more than adequate for the foul weather driving most people will see.
Legacy over $35k? That's the spec.B model, which is a rare special edition. I think they only made 400 (or was it 800) last year. You can get a Legacy SE for $19k, a GT for $23k, street prices. Compare a GT Limited to an Acura TSX and they're in the same ballpark.
NAV unlocked - mine is registered with Garmin so if it's stolen and I report it they'll actually cut off the service.
-juice
"At best, you'd have one front and one rear wheel driving the vehicle." - CHunter
That is the "at worst" scenario. "At best" would be three wheel drive. An open diff will allow power to leak if there is slippage. True enough. But assuming that is assuming the worst.
Torque would be sent to both front wheels through an open diff. When one loses traction, power is routed to both rear wheels.
Adding stability control (traction control) mitigates the situation so that the front wheels can both contribute. Which means "at best" all four wheels will be moving.