barcino:# 8802 I have 11K on my '02 Black EX CrV. Ever since new, I thought the idle at stop was un-Honda like rough too. But, I figured it was normal and never brought it up to the dealer. It's not awful, but noticible. So what is the concensus? Is it normal or not? Does anybody know where to get a "trick" little spoiler for the top of the rear door? You know something like whats on the Lexus or BMW's little SUV. I think this would enhance the looks a lot. Any suggestions?
I also felt it on occasions. All cars I ever owned idle rougher at stop light opposed to when you are in park. I think it has something to do with load on the engine. Be it aircon, power steering, power brake. Fresh oil change seem to help a lot.
My 02 V was definitly silky smooth for a few weeks after I brought it home. No longer. But still pretty smooth by 4 cylinder standard.
I am a FORD Taurus owner and I am preparing to leave the FORD family and join the Honda family. I have had so many problems with my current automobile (2000 Taurus), and I am not happy. I have done quite a bit of research on the CRV and I love what I see. Although I have not had the chance to test drive one.. because I haven't found a local dealer who has any CRV's available. I would like to know the opinions of the CRV owners. I am mostly interested in the following: Should I spend the extra $$$ for the EX?, How is the stereo in the LX?, Any wind noise complaints?, Sunroof complaints?, How is the overall maintenance? I do alot of commuter driving. I drive approx. 800 miles/week for work. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I do freeway and some mountain driving during my commute. Other than the QUALITY problems with my Taurus, it is a very comfortable automobile, the Taurus is fully loaded with all the comforts, and a pleasure to drive. I can no longer trust the car, and FORD does not seem to be concerned with the problems I have had. Thanks for your time. I plan to have a 2003 CRV in my driveway within the next two weeks!
HI i have a 2002 CR-V silver ex, I parked under a tree and I have red spots all over the suv I tried to clean it but it doesn't come off can someone help...
I have had my LX for little over a month. I have driven it 2,500 miles. The ride is very smooth but you tend to feel every bumps on the road. So far the biggest complain for me is the tire/road noise. The noise is tolerable with the radio on, but it can be noise if you are trying to hold a conversation.
AS far as deciding on LX or Ex is really up to individuals taste. If you must have all the whistles and bells, than get the Ex. I just wanted few extra features that came with the EX and i did not think it was worth spending extra 3k.
I can tint my windows at a local shop, order keyless entry, and alloy wheels at handa-accessories.com(thanks to edmund posters in here). The mild texas winter and no plan to go off roading, all wheel drive was not an must item for me. I would have loved the ABS but I can live without it. The moonroof I never cared for them.
You and I seem to be in a similar situation as I too have to drive quite a ways to work and back. I discovered Cr-V by accident. I had originally gone to purchase an accord.
I love the way it sits up high and still drives like a car. If you are looking for a suv without heavy towing capacity, off roading, or lot of cargo space, than Cr-v is perfect. Its not a perfect vehicle, but its well worth the money.
the 4 cylinder in the CRV is pretty big, and it has counterrotating balance shafts to help compensate for the vibration. There could be a problem here, or with the motor mounts. Or, if the idle is a little too high, it might also have more vibration than normal, from what I've seen in other automatic cars at lights in D. The engine is basically forcing the transmission to slip while you're at the light and have the brakes on.
Yes it does go away in park or neutral. When I get it onto those I just notice the normal tiny bit of a vibration that you would expect.
However my husband just called me. The dealer is telling him that it is NORMAL and offered to have him drive another CRV with 900 miles in it and he said it did it also. They are keeping ours today and checking it out however. I am really dissapointed with this. I am going to go test drive a new one... see if it does this too. To be stuck at traffic and feel like I am ratteling is really very dissapointed in an otherwise great vehicle. By the way thanks for your comments!
Probably sap. Might be waste from bugs too. Either way, you will get the stuff off with elbow grease and some help from a claybar. Most auto shops sell these now. The idea is that instead of the old days when you'd smear a liquid or paste rubbing compound onto the car instead you use a claybar that has much finer abrasives and is cushioned to prevent the good surface from being harmed.
When you get the claybar you'll also need to pick-up some of the spray they sell to lubricate the surface. All-in-all you should be very happy with the results as the surface will end up very slick and shiny. Be sure to top it off with a high quality abrassive free wax, the 'one-step' products won't do.
I, too, was looking at the CRV this summer. I almost bought it except that since it's such a hot seller, I was not willing to pay over MSRP for one, especially since it didn't meet my most important needs--V6 and quiet ride. I must travel over a mountain daily and the power and ability to converse with others without yelling was important. I love the way it looks, I love the versatility but I couldn't trade my Camry for it. So next year I'll be looking for a used Lexus RX300....Just my opinion.
... in fact, I've seen nice lower mile RX-300s you might can get Lex Certified with as long a warranty (3 years or 100K total miles, so anything less than 64K exceeds the Honda mileage) for no more cash than an EX. Scary but true:
It is a way to go if you plan on keeping it till the wheels fall off.If you get a used car with 50k miles on it and finance it for 4 years it will have probably over 100K miles on it when paid for but be worth little for resale.Just for curiosity ask a Lexus dealer what an RX300 with 100k miles is worth for trade.I know they are not going to keep it on their lot but wholesale it.
ruins what is otherwise an excellent Honda product. It's the same with the Civic sedan.
Yes, I know the CR-V is priced right, and some Honda defenders will claim that they don't hear road noise at all, or that we should go buy a Lexus, find better tires etc etc. But Honda has no excuses to not fix this glaring weakness that spoils the driving experience for their loyal customers.
You bet! I'm with you civicw. Driving my '02 EX is wonderful! If the road noise could be curtailed ........extra wonderful. The CRV is great car,no question about it. The road noise is excessive for a 2002 H O N D A ! You would have thought that Honda would have spent a few pennies to cut down the noise. I know... I know... they have tried. If it was such a problem with earlier models, wouldn't you think that they (Honda) would have been focused on eliminating any unwanted? It's kinda dissapointing because the car has gone through such a major make over for 2002. Heck, my sons '85 Accord has less tire noise! Explain that! I'm really hoping that when I change over tires, that some noise will be eliminated. I would never trade her!
I have to agree about the road noise. Since I'm in the market for a wagon/crossover from Honda/Toyota I test drove the 2002 CR-V, and realized that I wouldn't look forward to a 30 mile commute at the end of the day with that road noise. Engine and wind noise were almost non-existent, though. Noise perceptions can be subjective but I saw that Consumer Reports also agrees that the CR-V is (road) noisy.
Honda must have figured that the 2002 CR-V is competing with noisy vehicles like the Escape/Tribute, so it's good enough the way it is and will sell. Of course it will sell, because it's a Honda, and a great value. That's a poor approach. In my mind, high quality also includes an absence of excessive noise.
I'm sure most customers would fork over a little more to get rid of this annoyance, instead of having to experiment with various tires etc.
As for me, I've decided to wait for the upcoming Honda Latitude because I don't care for the Toyota Matrix. Hopefully, the Latitude will be free of Honda's standard feature (extra road noise).
Boy some of you sure hit the nail on the head concerning the road/tire noise. My wife and I had our hearts set on the CRV.....I refuse to have to yell in a vehicle to hold a conversation......We ended up driving the new accord...what a difference!.....We bought the LX Accord..IMHO this car is the best in it's class....we considered the Camry....but the head room in the rear seat was not to our expectations....THe comfort of the Accord @ the same price as the CRV....easy choice!....That will be the day that I pay the extra money for 4 WD to get to work. I think a phone call to call off is a lot less expensive/risky in bad weather..I'll take the everyday comfort vs the need for 4wd once or twice a year. While your fighting the elements...I'll be sleeping-in ;')
My 2000 LX Civic has a loud road/tire noise and harsh engine noise on a little hard acceleration. Because of the noise issue, we have been hesitating about the CR-V, and even Pilot.
'Course if you'd been driving our '95 Eagle Summit Wagon for the last 100K miles you'd think the New Series CR-V was heaven.
The first 50K wasn't too bad with Yokohamas ... but the last 50K with Sears Bridgestones (probably actually Firestones!) has been horribly harsh and noisy ....
Two hours in the CR-V I've the impression that most of the "problem" is the Bridgestone Duelers ... so why doesn't Honda fit better tires, Michelin or Yokohamas?
I know everyone has an opinion on this noise, but I find the vehicle very quiet. I don't hear a loud engine, or excessive tire noise or much of anything else.
One of the unadvertised features of every new Honda is the hypnotic spell that it casts on the buyer :-) I speak from experience, being a Honda owner myself. This spell makes you overlook annoyances such as road noise because a Honda otherwise is so much fun and a terrific value! Many new owners say they're in love with their Honda. Road noise? What's road noise???
When the hypnotic spell wears off (like it has for me), or if a potential buyer compares the Honda with a quieter vehicle, one realizes what a nuisance this Honda road noise is. In the case of the CR-V or Civic, it's especially so on the freeway.
Sure it is no Lexus but we did not buy it for quiet but it's overall packaging.The closest competitor is the Santa Fe in my humble opinion but it is too slow.The road surface is bad out here in the west and all cars rumble to some extent.I need a little noise to keep me awake because a deadly combination is a super quiet car and cruise control.It could put you to sleep after a couple of hours.If you want to hear noise go drive the VUE,now that's noise.
I find the road noise tolerable. Yes, it would be nice if Honda used quieter tires, maybe some more sound insulation. If I compare my CRV to my '00 Dodge Status, yes the Stratus is much quieter and more comfortable. But I bought the CRV for it AWD, and room to carry things I can't handle in the Stratus. I understand the previous CRV models are noiser due to less sound insulation. If the CRV were a $30K (US)priced model, I would expect a quieter and smoother riding vehicle. For what it is, the CRV is exactly what expected it to be. BTW, I find the Honda's engine much quieter than my Stratus with it's 2.4L engine.
I really doubt that it would cost Honda more than $200, if that, to quiet the road noise on a high volume, car-platform vehicle like the CR-V. This is not rocket science, and the CR-V doesn't have to cost $30K. Even if it was rocket science, the one place that would have the technology is Honda. They would know how to build the most sophisticated rocket for less $ than anyone else.
Thanks Saber86 for the information on your CRV. I had the chance to get a closeup look at the LX and the EX models over the weekend, but did not have the time to test drive either one. I still am looking for opinions on the sunroof. Being a FORD owner and having poor experience with both the T-bird and the Taurus sunroof's. Alot of wind noise and rattling occurs. Is that what I am to expect with Honda's sunroof too? I would like opinions on the sunroof please???
Having read the last number of articles about road noise.... Both my T-bird and Taurus had horrible road noise. I switched to Yokohama tires, and the noise was reduced greatly. One thing I noticed in driving the Los Angeles freeways is that road noise is greater when driving on concrete freeways vs. blacktop freeways.
The sunroof on any Honda is one of the best you can purchase....I've never seen one leak since I've purchased Hondas way back in 1977.....Honda simply makes the best product for the money! I just can't handle all the noise from the road/tires..CRV...trust me, there is no comparison between a Honda and a Ford. Before you make a decision check the resale value of both...I think you'll see the light ....good luck on your purchase. The only other vehicle I would consider besides Honda/Acura is a Lexus.
One of the unadvertised features of every new Honda is the hypnotic spell that it casts on the buyer :-) [snip]
When the hypnotic spell wears off (like it has for me), or if a potential buyer compares the Honda with a quieter vehicle, one realizes what a nuisance this Honda road noise is. In the case of the CR-V or Civic, it's especially so on the freeway.
Okay, assuming you weren't intentionally trying to be insulting, I'll point out that I'm the original owner of my '99 CR-V EX 5 spd and have had it for 3 1/2 years and 37,000 miles. And you have no idea how many other vehicles I compared it with before buying, either. (FYI - more than 2, less than 10)
I'll also point out that I didn't say it was the quietest vehicle I'd ever driven. In post #8817 what I said was that I disagreed with your characterization of the amount of road noise as either "excessive" or a "glaring weakness." (quotes are from your post #8816)
And to comment on your suggestion that it's worse on the highway, I'll point out that I've made numerous long trips at highway speeds in my CR-V...four (4) longer than 9 hours this year alone. (best highway MPG: 31.1, average highway MPG: 29+)
Could Honda have made the CR-V quieter? Of course. We agree on this point. What we don't agree on is that the noise is "excessive" or a "glaring weakness."
I am waiting dor the 2003's to come out and its a toss up between auto/5speed. I see one person getting 25/26mpg with 5speed. Any other owners with auto have any input? I am also looking for towing performance-possibly a small boat.
I agree with with "theracoon". I have had my 2002 CRV EX now for 4 months and drive an hour each way to work on the highway. The CRV's road noise is NOT excessive or glaring and I have no problem having a conversation at normal levels as someone else suggested. It is one of the more comfortable vehicles I have owned and I owned an Accord.
man, some of you must have some bionic hearing! I certainly don't have to yell to be heard at highway speeds in the CRV. The tires can be heard, but I recently learned how significant the tires themselves are in road noise by replacing the tires on my other vehicle. Plus, tires are relatively cheap, for those of you who are lamenting Honda for not spending the extra $200 for soundproofing, I would think that you could find some less off road capable tires that are very quiet for 200-300. Seriously...if this is the difference between a car you love and a car you hate, it's worth every penny!
Also, closing the sunroof cover reduces the noise slightly, from what I can tell.
on an unrelated note, I took an hour trip this weekend in the CRV with 5 adults, and did notice that I had to get in to the go pedal a little under highway passing conditions, but overall, no problems or complaints. All 5 passengers were very comfortable, as they reported at the end of the trip. I had no problem keeping up with traffic, though.
ps...this is my first honda. all cars are inherently compromises of performance, space, value, comfort, etc. I don't think the CRV is perfect, but for the price, it has very few drawbacks, for what I was looking for.
rrube - you might want to check the towing rating on the CRV, others have mentioned that it might not be the best choice for significant towing.
We have an 02-LX auto. Myself I would choose a standard, but my husband got tired of using all of his appendages to get a car from point A to point B. Our mpg is abysmal (20 mpg all city), but I do most of the driving and my kids tell me that I drive faster than Daddy (about 1000 miles on it). The auto's acceleration is surprisingly good for an SUV-like vehicle (boxy) and I don't notice any road, engine, or wind noise over what the kids and dog make (talk about shouting just to be heard). Rethink the towing bit. I agree with Robmarch - we didn't buy the CR-V to tow, but your priorities may force you to consider a different vehicle.
This reminds me of the other spell Honda has "cast" on the buying public. The one that makes people believe that a Honda will never, ever break.
Reality check, please. A good car is not the same thing as a perfect car.
I'm the owner of a 1999, 5 speed just like TheRacoon (though mine is silver and therefore much faster). I've got close to 67K on it. It is a loud car. No bones about it. Each time I've driven a 2002 model, I've been amazed at how much less noise there is. It's like night and day.
Comparing the CR-V (a utility vehicle) to a sedan (like the Accord) is an apples to oranges comparison. Even if they are in the same price range. Compare the CR-V with another vehicle in the small SUV class and I think you'll find that noise is a minor issue when compared with all the others problems you might be faced with.
Here are my suggestions. If the CR-V's road is too much for you, try any of the following.
Buy an Escape. The wind noise will drown out the sound of the tires. Problem solved.
Buy an Xterra. The airplane landing on the roof will certainly prove much noisier... oh wait... it's not a plane. That's just the roofrack.
Buy a RAV4. Standard equipment includes the symphonic tones of VVTLi opus 2.0L. Also known as "Chainsaw Melody".
I could go on, but I think the point should be obvious by now. About the only vehicle I can think of with a significantly quieter cabin would the Forester. And even then, the measured differences do not seem to be that great.
I have installed Dynamat in my CR-V. I did the four doors, the floor under the front seats, and up under the dash. The end result was this. I could hear the engine clear as day. Road noise was reduced, but the net result was not significant. I had to buy a hood liner for the engine compartment to take the edge off my engine buzz.
Take that and apply it to the new CR-V. Is the road noise truly excessive, or could it be that wind noise and engine noise are reduced to the point where all you are hearing is the road?
I'm the owner of a 1999, 5 speed just like TheRacoon (though mine is silver and therefore much faster).
Varmint, dagnabit! I thought we'd settled this years ago at the first ANF rallye!!
My Milano Red '99 CR-V EX 5 speed is much faster than that silverish thing you drive, although I have to admit I'm a little jealous of the cool greyhounds that ride in the back of yours.
And to think all these college kids try to hard to get that buzz...
I'm all for factory moonroofs, but some aftermarket ones have lots of features that are pretty cool. For instance, our ASC model, which BTW fits wonderfully in the CR-V since I saw one, has these features:
* one-touch open all the way (from any position) * one-touch tilt all the way (from any position) * one-touch close (from any position) * hold any button down to open/close a certain amount * programmable to close/not close when you remove the key (really impresses the neighbors)
The close button/programming works whether it's tilted or open. If it's tilted, you can hit the open button once and it goes down, and all the way open, still with just one touch of a button.
If the CR-V's is tilted, you have to use one button to lower it, and hold another to open it. That plus the moonroof is sort of smallish. It's probably covered by a 3 year warranty, vs. lifetime for the ASC ($895 for 17"x30" by the way).
Still, the Pilot doesn't even offer a factory one.
If the tires are inflated more, then there is more tire noise. I got a more comfortable and less noisy ride at Honda's recommended pressure of 26 psi but noticed strange tire wear on the sides. My dealer would inflate up to 32-34 psi when I had it in for service. I thought that made the ride too rough and noisy and have compromised to 29-30 psi. The ride is a bit rough at times and tire noise can be loud on rough/bad roads, but overall, I find it no worse than any other car I've owned. I've never had a problem with a conversation or listening to the radio/cd/tape. I think since the wind/engine noise is so minimal for the cr-v, that normal or slightly above normal tire noise is more noticeable. And there are many better tires than the OEM put on by Honda.
I am shopping for a 2002 CR-V EX Automatic in the Bay Area. If you bought one recently, I would appreciate if you could post the price and your experience with the dealer.
My 01 Acura MDX is no quieter than my CR-V. My MDX costed twice as much. Unfortunately, as long as the demand is high, Honda will not pay any attention to our complains.
I did a little research and found road test of various vehicles and the db rating at 70mph. Freelander 69 db CRV 70 db Santa Fe 71 db Escape 72 db Rav4 72 db So you can see it is among the quietest in it's class.I have not found a reading for Forester or VUE yet.A Mercedes Benz Coupe is a whopping 75.
I am planning on buying a 2002 CR-V EX 5-speed in the San Diego area and would like to know what they are selling for and was it hard to locate a 5-speed. Any info would help.
ateixeira, those are some pretty cool features. One correction, I have a 2002 CRV EX and the moon roof will retract to a full open from a tilt by just pushing the open button.
Not usre what the meaning of the numbers. I am in Boston area. When a road is smooth, Honda does ok with the noise from the road/tire. But, most of roads are grooved, not smooth, that is where it gets very noisy. The numbers don't mean much w/o stating the test conditions.
Racoon - You should have come to the Honda SUV Olympics. I beat everyone around the course with a blindfold on! Well... Okay, they had to wear one, too.
Re: Noises
I'm not sure where that data comes from, but when comparing sound levels, you should use data from the same mags only. The roads used by MT may be noisier than those used by C&D or Edmunds. FYI.
Hondas do tend to be noisier than the competition. My Acura TL is fairly quiet compared to the Accord, but not when compared with the Lexus and Infinity. The MDX is less noisey than an Explorer, Pathfinder, or Trailblazer, but not the RX300 or ML320.
The CR-V seems to be the exception to that rule. It actually falls mid-pack (or better) when compared within its class. That doesn't mean it's completely noise free, though.
I currently own a 98 crv ex and recently test drove a crv 2002 ex. I was impressed with the increased performance but I am concerned with the view through the rear window. I found that it appeared to be much smaller than my 98 and the rear window tint made the view very much darker to the point where I thought the mirror was set to night time setting. Anyone else share this opinion or does it grow on you. I really like the 2002 but this is currently hanging up my decision to change.
From C&D (I agree with varmint that using figures from the same publication have far more meaning).
The new CR-V is significantly more quiet than the last generation when they tested it. There is a new Forester, and it's a bit more quiet and refined too, so the bar keeps moving.
Dave: I though it was 5dB to double the level of sounds?
Brian: I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that neat feature out.
Honda likes to keep their vehicles relatively light, so that might limit the amount of sound deadening material they apply. It's a tradeoff, but you get lighter, more fuel efficient cars that also spew out few emissions. Just look at all the Super Duper Lower-Than-Low Almost Non-existent Emmisions Vehicles they have.
frankbailie, I traded my 98 in for a 2002 and I am very happy with the decision. I loved the visibility aspect of the 98, you sure can see more out the rear window. I have gotten used to less visibility in the 2nd generation and you can increase the visibility some by removing the center headrest if you wanted to. I don't even remove the headrest but my friend who also has a crv does and says it helps a lot.
Juice, the doubling of sound to ones ear is subjective and I typically see figures saying 8 db will sound twice as loud to ones ear. 5 db sounds like it could be right also. I think it depends on what part of the decibel spectrum you are on.
ie. comparing 5 db to 10 db, it may sound twice as loud. ie. comparing 100 db to 110 db may sound twice as loud.
I see what you mean. I'd also once heard that 3dB doubles it, so indeed it may be a sliding scale.
I think the new CR-V has about average sound insulation. The engine revs a bit high and can get loud, but only when you're pushing it. If the mother-in-law is in the back seat, just keep her below 4000rpm.
Comments
It's not awful, but noticible. So what is the concensus? Is it normal or not?
Does anybody know where to get a "trick" little spoiler for the top of the rear door? You know something like whats on the Lexus or BMW's little SUV. I think this would enhance the looks a lot.
Any suggestions?
My 02 V was definitly silky smooth for a few weeks after I brought it home. No longer. But still pretty smooth by 4 cylinder standard.
I have done quite a bit of research on the CRV and I love what I see. Although I have not had the chance to test drive one.. because I haven't found a local dealer who has any CRV's available. I would like to know the opinions of the CRV owners. I am mostly interested in the following: Should I spend the extra $$$ for the EX?, How is the stereo in the LX?, Any wind noise complaints?, Sunroof complaints?, How is the overall maintenance?
I do alot of commuter driving. I drive approx. 800 miles/week for work. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I do freeway and some mountain driving during my commute.
Other than the QUALITY problems with my Taurus, it is a very comfortable automobile, the Taurus is fully loaded with all the comforts, and a pleasure to drive. I can no longer trust the car, and FORD does not seem to be concerned with the problems I have had.
Thanks for your time. I plan to have a 2003 CRV in my driveway within the next two weeks!
AS far as deciding on LX or Ex is really up to individuals taste. If you must have all the whistles and bells, than get the Ex. I just wanted few extra features that came with the EX and i did not think it was worth spending extra 3k.
I can tint my windows at a local shop, order keyless entry, and alloy wheels at handa-accessories.com(thanks to edmund posters in here). The mild texas winter and no plan to go off roading, all wheel drive was not an must item for me. I would have loved the ABS but I can live without it. The moonroof I never cared for them.
You and I seem to be in a similar situation as I too have to drive quite a ways to work and back. I discovered Cr-V by accident. I had originally gone to purchase an accord.
I love the way it sits up high and still drives like a car. If you are looking for a suv without heavy towing capacity, off roading, or lot of cargo space, than Cr-v is perfect. Its not a perfect vehicle, but its well worth the money.
Does it go away in park or neutral?
However my husband just called me. The dealer is telling him that it is NORMAL and offered to have him drive another CRV with 900 miles in it and he said it did it also. They are keeping ours today and checking it out however. I am really dissapointed with this. I am going to go test drive a new one... see if it does this too.
To be stuck at traffic and feel like I am ratteling is really very dissapointed in an otherwise great vehicle. By the way thanks for your comments!
When you get the claybar you'll also need to pick-up some of the spray they sell to lubricate the surface. All-in-all you should be very happy with the results as the surface will end up very slick and shiny. Be sure to top it off with a high quality abrassive free wax, the 'one-step' products won't do.
Next time, find a better parking spot!
http://www.lcpo.com/print_detail.psp?ID=282183153
miles on it and finance it for 4 years it will
have probably over 100K miles on it when paid for
but be worth little for resale.Just for curiosity
ask a Lexus dealer what an RX300 with 100k miles is worth for trade.I know they are not going to
keep it on their lot but wholesale it.
Yes, I know the CR-V is priced right, and some Honda defenders will claim that they don't hear road noise at all, or that we should go buy a Lexus, find better tires etc etc. But Honda has no excuses to not fix this glaring weakness that spoils the driving experience for their loyal customers.
I don't see the amount of road noise my '99 CR-V exhibits as a "glaring weakness" nor do I consider it "excessive," considering the class of vehicle.
My opinion differs from yours.
It's kinda dissapointing because the car has gone through such a major make over for 2002.
Heck, my sons '85 Accord has less tire noise! Explain that!
I'm really hoping that when I change over tires, that some noise will be eliminated. I would never trade her!
Honda must have figured that the 2002 CR-V is competing with noisy vehicles like the Escape/Tribute, so it's good enough the way it is and will sell. Of course it will sell, because it's a Honda, and a great value. That's a poor approach. In my mind, high quality also includes an absence of excessive noise.
I'm sure most customers would fork over a little more to get rid of this annoyance, instead of having to experiment with various tires etc.
As for me, I've decided to wait for the upcoming Honda Latitude because I don't care for the Toyota Matrix. Hopefully, the Latitude will be free of Honda's standard feature (extra road noise).
The first 50K wasn't too bad with Yokohamas ... but the last 50K with Sears Bridgestones (probably actually Firestones!) has been horribly harsh and noisy ....
Two hours in the CR-V I've the impression that most of the "problem" is the Bridgestone Duelers ... so why doesn't Honda fit better tires, Michelin or Yokohamas?
When the hypnotic spell wears off (like it has for me), or if a potential buyer compares the Honda with a quieter vehicle, one realizes what a nuisance this Honda road noise is. In the case of the CR-V or Civic, it's especially so on the freeway.
quiet but it's overall packaging.The closest
competitor is the Santa Fe in my humble opinion
but it is too slow.The road surface is bad out
here in the west and all cars rumble to some extent.I need a little noise to keep me awake
because a deadly combination is a super quiet car
and cruise control.It could put you to sleep after a couple of hours.If you want to hear noise go drive the VUE,now that's noise.
varmit "Vibration dampers e.g. Dynamat" Sep 5, 2001 6:31pm
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Having read the last number of articles about road noise.... Both my T-bird and Taurus had horrible road noise. I switched to Yokohama tires, and the noise was reduced greatly. One thing I noticed in driving the Los Angeles freeways is that road noise is greater when driving on concrete freeways vs. blacktop freeways.
I just can't handle all the noise from the road/tires..CRV...trust me, there is no comparison between a Honda and a Ford. Before you make a decision check the resale value of both...I think you'll see the light ....good luck on your purchase. The only other vehicle I would consider besides Honda/Acura is a Lexus.
When the hypnotic spell wears off (like it has for me), or if a potential buyer compares the Honda with a quieter vehicle, one realizes what a nuisance this Honda road noise is. In the case of the CR-V or Civic, it's especially so on the freeway.
Okay, assuming you weren't intentionally trying to be insulting, I'll point out that I'm the original owner of my '99 CR-V EX 5 spd and have had it for 3 1/2 years and 37,000 miles. And you have no idea how many other vehicles I compared it with before buying, either. (FYI - more than 2, less than 10)
I'll also point out that I didn't say it was the quietest vehicle I'd ever driven. In post #8817 what I said was that I disagreed with your characterization of the amount of road noise as either "excessive" or a "glaring weakness." (quotes are from your post #8816)
And to comment on your suggestion that it's worse on the highway, I'll point out that I've made numerous long trips at highway speeds in my CR-V...four (4) longer than 9 hours this year alone. (best highway MPG: 31.1, average highway MPG: 29+)
Could Honda have made the CR-V quieter? Of course. We agree on this point. What we don't agree on is that the noise is "excessive" or a "glaring weakness."
JM2C
Rac...
Also, closing the sunroof cover reduces the noise slightly, from what I can tell.
on an unrelated note, I took an hour trip this weekend in the CRV with 5 adults, and did notice that I had to get in to the go pedal a little under highway passing conditions, but overall, no problems or complaints. All 5 passengers were very comfortable, as they reported at the end of the trip. I had no problem keeping up with traffic, though.
ps...this is my first honda. all cars are inherently compromises of performance, space, value, comfort, etc. I don't think the CRV is perfect, but for the price, it has very few drawbacks, for what I was looking for.
rrube - you might want to check the towing rating on the CRV, others have mentioned that it might not be the best choice for significant towing.
Reality check, please. A good car is not the same thing as a perfect car.
I'm the owner of a 1999, 5 speed just like TheRacoon (though mine is silver and therefore much faster). I've got close to 67K on it. It is a loud car. No bones about it. Each time I've driven a 2002 model, I've been amazed at how much less noise there is. It's like night and day.
Comparing the CR-V (a utility vehicle) to a sedan (like the Accord) is an apples to oranges comparison. Even if they are in the same price range. Compare the CR-V with another vehicle in the small SUV class and I think you'll find that noise is a minor issue when compared with all the others problems you might be faced with.
Here are my suggestions. If the CR-V's road is too much for you, try any of the following.
Buy an Escape. The wind noise will drown out the sound of the tires. Problem solved.
Buy an Xterra. The airplane landing on the roof will certainly prove much noisier... oh wait... it's not a plane. That's just the roofrack.
Buy a RAV4. Standard equipment includes the symphonic tones of VVTLi opus 2.0L. Also known as "Chainsaw Melody".
I could go on, but I think the point should be obvious by now. About the only vehicle I can think of with a significantly quieter cabin would the Forester. And even then, the measured differences do not seem to be that great.
I have installed Dynamat in my CR-V. I did the four doors, the floor under the front seats, and up under the dash. The end result was this. I could hear the engine clear as day. Road noise was reduced, but the net result was not significant. I had to buy a hood liner for the engine compartment to take the edge off my engine buzz.
Take that and apply it to the new CR-V. Is the road noise truly excessive, or could it be that wind noise and engine noise are reduced to the point where all you are hearing is the road?
Varmint, dagnabit! I thought we'd settled this years ago at the first ANF rallye!!
My Milano Red '99 CR-V EX 5 speed is much faster than that silverish thing you drive, although I have to admit I'm a little jealous of the cool greyhounds that ride in the back of yours.
;D
I'm all for factory moonroofs, but some aftermarket ones have lots of features that are pretty cool. For instance, our ASC model, which BTW fits wonderfully in the CR-V since I saw one, has these features:
* one-touch open all the way (from any position)
* one-touch tilt all the way (from any position)
* one-touch close (from any position)
* hold any button down to open/close a certain amount
* programmable to close/not close when you remove the key (really impresses the neighbors)
The close button/programming works whether it's tilted or open. If it's tilted, you can hit the open button once and it goes down, and all the way open, still with just one touch of a button.
If the CR-V's is tilted, you have to use one button to lower it, and hold another to open it. That plus the moonroof is sort of smallish. It's probably covered by a 3 year warranty, vs. lifetime for the ASC ($895 for 17"x30" by the way).
Still, the Pilot doesn't even offer a factory one.
-juice
I am shopping for a 2002 CR-V EX Automatic in the Bay Area. If you bought one recently, I would appreciate if you could post the price and your experience with the dealer.
Thanks,
Sorry Honda users.
Freelander 69 db
CRV 70 db
Santa Fe 71 db
Escape 72 db
Rav4 72 db
So you can see it is among the quietest in it's class.I have not found a reading for Forester or VUE yet.A Mercedes Benz Coupe is a whopping 75.
Where did you find those figures??? Once upon a time autosite.com had those nu8mber published for all vehicles....
BTW every 8 decibels is like doubling the noise level to ones ears!!!
Re: Noises
I'm not sure where that data comes from, but when comparing sound levels, you should use data from the same mags only. The roads used by MT may be noisier than those used by C&D or Edmunds. FYI.
Hondas do tend to be noisier than the competition. My Acura TL is fairly quiet compared to the Accord, but not when compared with the Lexus and Infinity. The MDX is less noisey than an Explorer, Pathfinder, or Trailblazer, but not the RX300 or ML320.
The CR-V seems to be the exception to that rule. It actually falls mid-pack (or better) when compared within its class. That doesn't mean it's completely noise free, though.
1st gen Forester 70dB
1st gen CR-V 73dB
From C&D (I agree with varmint that using figures from the same publication have far more meaning).
The new CR-V is significantly more quiet than the last generation when they tested it. There is a new Forester, and it's a bit more quiet and refined too, so the bar keeps moving.
Dave: I though it was 5dB to double the level of sounds?
Brian: I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that neat feature out.
Honda likes to keep their vehicles relatively light, so that might limit the amount of sound deadening material they apply. It's a tradeoff, but you get lighter, more fuel efficient cars that also spew out few emissions. Just look at all the Super Duper Lower-Than-Low Almost Non-existent Emmisions Vehicles they have.
-juice
I traded my 98 in for a 2002 and I am very happy with the decision. I loved the visibility aspect of the 98, you sure can see more out the rear window. I have gotten used to less visibility in the 2nd generation and you can increase the visibility some by removing the center headrest if you wanted to. I don't even remove the headrest but my friend who also has a crv does and says it helps a lot.
Juice,
the doubling of sound to ones ear is subjective and I typically see figures saying 8 db will sound twice as loud to ones ear. 5 db sounds like it could be right also. I think it depends on what part of the decibel spectrum you are on.
ie. comparing 5 db to 10 db, it may sound twice as loud.
ie. comparing 100 db to 110 db may sound twice as loud.
I think the new CR-V has about average sound insulation. The engine revs a bit high and can get loud, but only when you're pushing it. If the mother-in-law is in the back seat, just keep her below 4000rpm.
-juice