The drive home from the dealership (car had 18 miles; I put an additional 4 miles of "test driving" around the dealership neighborhood prior to taking delivery) did involve varying speeds/RPMs as well as the 40+ mile trip home that night and some local driving around town the next day of about 60+ miles. The 3 hour road trip from VA to PA did include hilly terrain and a mixture of local and interstates so I'd say there were a mixture of driving and traffic conditions.
I definitely agree and concur with your assessment of the break-in procedures. In fact, I recall doing actually did exactly just that with my first car, a '95 BMW 318ti which this CR-V replaced, 12 years later. The only difference was that BMW's break-in procedure was 1200 miles and no fasterr than 85 mph and rev'ing above 4500 RPMs!
I would personally not rev it past 4K RPM until at least 1K miles on the clock. Otherwise drive as (conservative) normal.
Cars with manual transmissions that go on a long trip with a fresh engine and maintain a constant speed and consequently constant rpm are more likely to not break in properly, than the auto trannies that vary the RPM by locking and unlocking the torque converter and shifting in and out of overdrive on hills and such.
There are people that believe the modern engines are highly polished inside so that "break-in" is not really necessary. I agree with the polished part. However, I also believe all the various polished parts need to wear "INTO" the parts they rub against for the perfect (as can be) fit.
If I'm wrong, no damage has been done. If they are wrong, well....!
Am I the only one happy with the economy of a cr-v? I have an '08 2wd EX and at ~ 2,500 miles I am averaging 24 mpg in town and 30+ highway (30 mpg on a trip from south Louisiana to Austin, TX with some in town driving in Austin and 32 mpg on one tank that was all highway).
We are taking a trip from south Louisiana to Arkansas in early Feb. I am sure that between my wife, daughter and I + luggage the cr-v will be moderately loaded, and this together with the hilly terrain will probably reduce mileage. I will report on our return.
I'm satisfied with mine also. If I was after totally awesome gas mileage, I would have opted for a more aerodynamic, lighter, less roomy, lower to the ground vehicle like a Civic.
Great mileage! Lots of folks don't believe it can be done. I do!
Our 03 4wd with 4 speed auto gets good mileage, when driven with a conservative foot. On Xway trips,and obeying posted speed limits, but not exceeding 65 mph, we can get 30mpg. At 2500 rpm our CR-V is running 65-67MPH. Locally, my wife gets around 21 and I get 23-24.
If I run at 70-75 mph the mileage drops to around 26 mpg or lower.
I agree with dtstof . We could have gotten a Civic for better mileage. But we prefer the more chair like seating, better overall visibility, room, plus hauling capabilities from Home depot, etc....
With about 7000 miles, I'm getting 18 MPG in town. And that's 18-tops. The highway is another story--an excellent 28+. Unfortunately, 98% of my driving is in town. Very disappointing.
When I checked my 2008 CR-V Owner's Manual (page 226) under the section "Break-in Period", it makes no mention of not to maintain a constant engine RPMs during the break-in period. I looked at it before embarking on the trip, just to be sure.
Here's what it says, in verbatim:
Break-in Period Help assure your vehicle's future reliability and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive during the first 600 miles (1,000 km). During this period:
- Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration.
- Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time.
- Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
- Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these recommendations with an overhauled or exchanged engine, or when the brakes are replaced.
Sorry, I didn't know Honda no logner stipulates that in the break-in procedures.
We just got our 2008 CR-V EX-L three weeks ago. We've been averaging between 22 and 26 MPG in the city. Use mostly Hess fuel but have used Shell and one tank of Mobil. At 1,000 miles had the deal do an oil change to Mobil 1 synthetic.
I traded a 2005 Chrysler 300 for the CR-V. The CR-V is slower. But in the plus column, is much easier to get in and out of. I can actually use an ATM from the car and not have to get out like I did in the Chrysler. Actually the CR-V is more comfortable and much quieter. Controls are easy. Cruise control on the Chysler is really stupid.
Gas milage seems to be very dependent here in Florida on the divers in front of me who cannot seem to maintain a uniform speed and hit the brakes for no discernable reason. When you can drive sanely the milage shoots up to almost 30 mpg in the city. With idiots it drops.
The 08 is a cute little bugger. The horn???? Honda really HAS to work on that little Japanese horn.
Most of the owners manual I agree with. How you drive in the first 600 - 1,000 miles will determine the life of your car. However I disagree with them on waiting for the regular interval on the first oil change. Let me qualify that.
If you are going to use standard petroleum based motor oil your first oil change is not that critical. But if you wish to adapt your behicle to the new synthetic motor oils such as Mobil 1 (rated the best) then it is best to change out the standard oil and break-in oil at 1,000 miles.
It is a choice you make (hopefully informed) that you need to study. Engines perfom much better on synthetic oils. Best performer is Mobil 1 at this time. They last longer and far less wear. Some claim that an engine using Mobil 1 at 100,000 miles has less internal wear than the same engine type using petroleum olil at 10,000 miles. Bearings and rings seat better.
Once you move to synthetic oil don't go back to conventional motor oil. Choose one path or the other, grasshopper. I am not sure of what point it becomes a problem in switching. Just that with my engines I change at the first 1,000 miles, oil and filter and then every 3,000 miles after that. So far regardless of the make of car, the engines have all been flawless even in an engine known for having problems. (The Mitsubishi V-6 in the Dodge minivans) Everyone else I knew that had the same vehicle was blowing oil by the time they had 50,000 miles on them. I traded mine with over 100,000 miles on it for a newer model. It sounded and acted like new.
From family experience, although Honda has never to my knowledge had any engine problems, (we all use synthetics) our engines seem s little quieter and run a little smoother than others.
I get the same thing as you.. Around 19 in the city and perhaps 26-8mpg on the highway. If you drive in town all the time like I do this car is not for you.. I hope this improves. :P
Much better? Maybe for an F-15. For a family driver, probably not. I drive them forever and get by fine on regular oil and the interval recommended by my manufacturer (5,000 and 7,500 intervals here).
Changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste of time and money, increases the amount of stuff in the waste stream and is about the dumbest myth I've seen perpetuated on the US motoring public.
But I rant - please check out the oil wars discussions:
First the engine's basic breakin has been completed by 1,000 miles. Second the metalic powder from a new engine can cause wear. Third this is ONLY true when you have made a commitment to use SYNTHETIC motor oil permanently. you want to complete the break-in period in stnthetic and start working the petroleum based oil out of the engine. Usually some remains for 2 or 3 changes with filters.
While the basic breakin is completed by 1,000 miles, seating bearings, rings etc, there is more to it that actually occures about to 10,000 miles. But you want the inferior petroleum oil out of the engine as early as possible. Do a little reading on how superior synthetic oil is, expecially Mobil One.
That is based on my reading on it and my experience. It all has to do with friction and engine wear. With Honda you have a very superior engine, treat it that way and it'll last almost forever.
Well as to how good Synthetic motor oils are we are back to the old "opinions" are something everyone has like parts of the anatomy. Lots of people think that the cheapest gas and the cheapest oil work fine. Essentially they do. Honda builds an excellent engine by world standards. Very superior to American engines as a general rule.
You feel changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste. Maybe. But on occasion I have run an engine up to 300,000 miles with very little wear. It is two things, early changes and using pure synthetic oil.
While technically you are correct - I feel comfortable with the choices I have made. Even with the HIGHLY problematic Mitsubishi engine in my Dodge minivan, mine worked fine while most others failed early.
As to the waste issue...... I don't know where you live - but where I live oil is recycled. Well except for those who change oil in their driveways and allow the old oil to run into the sewer. Here - the dealer sends 100% of the drained oil to be recycled.
In my youth I had an engine fail because of not using the right oil and changing early enough. It was a painful thing to loose a big engine in a muscle car and face having to buy a crate engine to replace it. if it happens 2,500 miles from home it can be painful, expecially in a small town where you have to wait 2 weeks to get it done.
I bought a Honda for quality. There were several cheaper comparable vehicles to the CR-V I could have bought. I have elected to pamper it because I think it deserves it. Checking mileage yesterday I was getting over 30 MPG in the city until I got behind some folks who couldn't make up their minds on their speed. Then it dipped to 25 MPG.
I like my cars to perfom CLEAN (Green) and efficiently. I'm not telling you how to drive, just saying how I do and the results I get. I love my Honda.
I will do as the factory recommends. Change it at the scheduled time. Then install synthetic. The oil filter is in place to remove the metallic powder.
"First the engine's basic breakin has been completed by 1,000 miles. Second the metalic powder from a new engine can cause wear. Third this is ONLY true when you have made a commitment to use SYNTHETIC motor oil permanently. you want to complete the break-in period in stnthetic and start working the petroleum based oil out of the engine. Usually some remains for 2 or 3 changes with filters. "
You should be aware that the honda owners site recommends leaving in the factory oil as long as possible. The site says that the oil has special properties that help the engine break in. This instruction is the same as the Gen 2. The factory oil is specially formulated.
I left my initial oil in for 7500 miles on my 2003 CR-V, thereafter 5K changes.
It is a choice you make (hopefully informed) that you need to study. Engines perfom much better on synthetic oils. Best performer is Mobil 1 at this time.
So, does it matter if the Synthetic oil is Group III or Group IV oil. Mobil 1, which you say is rated best, is a Group III, oil, except for Mobil 1 Extended Performance. Other Group III oils include Pennzoil Platinum, Quaker State Synthetics, Castrol Syntec (except 0W-30 made in Germany), Valvoline Synthetic...
Group III oil are basically highly refined conventional oils, also known as Hydrocracked oil.
Group IV oil, is generally laboratory made oils out of polyolefin chains of known length.
Group IV oils are: Mobil 1 EP, Castrol Syntec 0W-30 Made in Germany, Royal Purple, Red Line (it may be Group V), and Amsoil.
So, the quesiton is: Does it matter if one is using Group III or Group IV or even V oil? (this is a loaded question)
"What are the driving conditions In Town?" kipk--They are somewhat typical, I would think. Many stop signs-red lights. Northeast...in PA. Our city is kinda famous for its unnecessary traffic signals.
That 18mpg in town just might be about all you can expect, as your Highway portion is right on target. Sitting in traffic= "0"mpg! :sick:
You may already know all this but just for drill:
Every time you use the brake and the harder that brake is used, is an indicator that you could have possibly BEEN using less throttle before the brakes were necessary.
TIPS:
Keep enough distance between you and the car in front of you so that gas-brake..gas-brake..gas-brake are kept to a minimum.
Learn to read the traffic lights. If you know that light is going to change to red before you get to it, there is no reason to rush up to it. Approach slowly and maybe it will go green again and you won't need to stop at all.
If there are some cars sitting at a stop sign, approach slowly so that most of them are gone when you get there, so you may only have to stop once.
If there is a stop sign ahead, even with no cars, try letting off the throttle early enough so that you are nearly stopped when you get to it. This saves gas, brakes and tires.
Always remember that getting nearly 2 tons moving from a stopped condition is hard on mileage. Keeping it moving when coasting would have worked just as well, burns fuel and wears brakes and tires.
When moving away from a stop, use just enough throttle so the tranny will shift at around 2500 rpm without you lifting your foot.
I practice these things and my wife doesn't. I normally get 2-3 MPG better than she does, driving the same car, locally.
Of course all this has to be done in accordance with traffic. No need to send another driver into a "rage".
For demonstration purposes, try counting how many times you press the throttle for a given distance. Every time you can avoid it, you have saved gas.
The difference in city and Highway mileage are the number of starts and stops and the type of throttle usage. It is the number of little things that destroy mileage and a number of little ones that can help it.
Kip--The info is very much appreciated. I definitely could do better regarding driving habits. My last vehicle, an '03 tundra 4WD did a bit under 14 mpg/city; I guess I was expecting more of an improvement. As mentioned, however, for those doing add'l highway driving, the mpg is impressive-better than the rating. It's a fine vehicle otherwise. Thanks.
These are the same exact techniques most motorcyclists use. Because every time you stop, you have to put your feet down, but if you can coast, you don't have to put your feet down :-).
Incidentally, most of the tips apply to driving stick shift vehicle in traffic. I probably shift less in the manual than most people switch between gas and brake in traffic. I see people riding each others bumpers as if they will get there faster doing that, rather than keeping enough distance to just roll at 5 mph. Of course it may be more difficult to do in an automatic equipped vehicle, as those tend to have a mind of their own.
Next time you are in a traffic jam, observe big rigs, they just crawl along and almost never stop nor change gears.
riding each others bumpers as if they will get there faster
I don't think anyone expects to get there faster. If you leave enough space in front of you then others will cut in and you fall back in line and the people behind you get upset that you're holding them up.
"I don't think anyone expects to get there faster."
I think that some of them are stupid enough to believe it will get them there faster.
Others are trying to intimidate the driver in front of them into going faster.
On a two lane road someone would have to pass me to squeeze in front. That is fine with me. Passing 2 of us may have resulted in an accident. If that wasn't the case, he would have gone ahead and passed the car in front of me also.
On 4+ lanes, I have the choice of riding too close for comfort and fuel mileage, or falling back some. Somebody pulls in front of me, I don't care. If the person behind me doesn't care for my driving style, they can change lanes.
Blueiedgod's example, of how the big rigs do it, makes sense to me!
Since you do 98% stop and go city driving, you are the perfect candidate for a hybrid. You would probably at least double your MPG in heavy city traffic.
The dealer had told me to make sure it was turned 4 clicks tight when filling up. I always did that. The warning came on and I had just filled up, but forgot to reset the mileage. So I got out and turned the cap a few times. The warning came back. I got home and reset the mileage(3 miles trip). I removed the cap and re tightened 4 times. The warning never came back on.
I had always been getting about 25.5 MPG according to the readout. After driving to and from work this week(same as usual), I'm now over 1 MPG higher. I'm getting 26.5+ now. I wonder if a slight leak in the cap could have affected the mileage on my 07 CRV?
We have returned from our trip to Arkansas. Got 30.0 on the way up from south Louisiana. Filled up in AR and got 27.8 driving around AR. Filled up again (tank was not completely empty) and only got 26.5 on the way home. To be fair, on the way home we were driving in the rain with significant head/cross wind of 20-30 mph. All mpg reported above were hand calculated but the dash readout is fairly accurate (actually slightly pessimistic!).
Overall I am very pleased with the performance of the CR-V on a road trip. We are taking a trip to Colorado this summer and, if everything fits in the CR-V, I would prefer to drive it (for the economy) rather than my wife's Envoy XL which only gets ~ 22 mpg highway (but the long wheelbase Envoy does offer more cargo room and ride real nice!).
The CR-V now has 4,500 miles and the readout on the dash says 25.1 average mpg.
By the time my odometer shows 200 miles I am nearly on empty, this with mostly highway driving. Not much over 20 mpg, very disappointed. It's an SE but only 4 cylinder, I think it is under powered, because it downshifts often on even a slight upgrade. I'm not happy with my CR-V at all. Noise from road surface, stiff ride, lousy mileage. I get better mileage on my Lincoln Town car. Would not reccomend to anyone, sorry I bought it. Still less than 20,000 miles and well maintained. But nearing retirement I will not trade, it's paid for. Wish I chose better, like maybe a Toyota Prius, or some kind of hybrid, stuck with it though, so just try to drive as fuel consciously as possible. I can't believe so many people in this forum claim 30 highway and mid twenties in town. Don't buy one, Honda has really let me down.
>" ...I'm not happy with my CR-V at all. Noise from road surface, stiff ride, lousy mileage. I get better mileage on my Lincoln Town car.... .... I can't believe so many people in this forum claim 30 highway and mid twenties in town".
Road noise was a common complaint in your vintage CR-V. But then, I doubt many SUVs would compare well to the quiet of a Lincoln Town Car. And generally SUVs also compare poorly to cars in gas mileage. People buy SUVs for other reasons.
But your mileage may be a little better than your early fears. The CR-V has a small gas tank.
My wifes uncle has a Town Car. He claims 27-28 mpg on the road. However, around town which is 90% of his driving, is another story. He tried to trade it but the resale/trade-in on them is terrible!
My son's Mustang GT got near 27 on the road, but around town was another story. He traded it for a Ridgeline!
The 07-08 CR-V is far superior to the earlier ones. I would like to trade my wife's 03 for one, but she has some kind of love affair with it. :shades:
on a recent saturday shopping trip in our crv 4wd, we were getting 31mpg on the outset. the spouse wanted to fill up at 46 miles so we could claim the high mileage. we should have. the trip home was done in 30-45 winds and the on-dash average was around 20.5 by the time we got home. she drives about 250 miles (one way) for her job each week, and so far has averaged about 25mpg on the hiway portion, and over 20 while driving in the city (omaha). this car is very new now and i'm sure the mileage will change as the odometer piles on.
My wife is getting about the same on her 08! my grandpa has an 07 and he says he is only getting like 18mpg... I went to visit him last thursday (my day off) we wanted to go out for lunch; I know why he gets such poor MPG's... the old fart lets it warm up untill its accually "warm" in the car. he let it idle out on the street for like 10-12 minutes. I told him about the fact that they warm up quicker if you drive them (idle is what like 800RPM?) and he said "what, do you think I am stupid, I know that.) what a funny guy.
Our CRV currently has about 15,000 miles on it. I was concerned that the fuel mileage had been going down since during the last 2-3 months (of New England winter) our average dropped down to ~20 mpg (with 50% city and 50% highway driving) plus it is my wife who is driving - :surprise:
This past weekend, I wanted to test the car's highway performance, so I zeroed the trip computer while driving on the highway - by the time I reached my destination (~90 miles) the final number was 27.7 mpg
I had a 27.1 mpg roundtrip to NYC trip last Fall when my CRV had ~8000 miles on it. I guess there some improvement - if it means anything ?!
I would say my average speed was ~70 mph (definitely above 65) - despite this reasonable speed, keep in mind that I was driving with the goal of maximizing fuel mileage (i.e. watching the bars most of the time)
This is my first (compact SUV) after owning 5 compact-to-midsize Japanese sedans. The CRV definitely gives you more confidence and sense of safety in snowy conditions.
Stability, 4WD engagement, and ABS - all function well whenever they are needed, however, I would not put CRV in a "very good" snow/slushy conditions vehicle category (may be it is the 4 season tires that take away from its snow handling capabilities!)
Well as to how good Synthetic motor oils are we are back to the old "opinions" are something everyone has like parts of the anatomy. Lots of people think that the cheapest gas and the cheapest oil work fine. Essentially they do. Honda builds an excellent engine by world standards. Very superior to American engines as a general rule.
You feel changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste. Maybe. But on occasion I have run an engine up to 300,000 miles with very little wear. It is two things, early changes and using pure synthetic oil.
While technically you are correct - I feel comfortable with the choices I have made. Even with the HIGHLY problematic Mitsubishi engine in my Dodge minivan, mine worked fine while most others failed early.
As to the waste issue...... I don't know where you live - but where I live oil is recycled. Well except for those who change oil in their driveways and allow the old oil to run into the sewer. Here - the dealer sends 100% of the drained oil to be recycled.
In my youth I had an engine fail because of not using the right oil and changing early enough. It was a painful thing to loose a big engine in a muscle car and face having to buy a crate engine to replace it. if it happens 2,500 miles from home it can be painful, expecially in a small town where you have to wait 2 weeks to get it done.
I bought a Honda for quality. There were several cheaper comparable vehicles to the CR-V I could have bought. I have elected to pamper it because I think it deserves it. Checking mileage yesterday I was getting over 30 MPG in the city until I got behind some folks who couldn't make up their minds on their speed. Then it dipped to 25 MPG.
I like my cars to perfom CLEAN (Green) and efficiently. I'm not telling you how to drive, just saying how I do and the results I get. I love my Honda.
Wow, you think a lot like me! I relgiously change my oil every 3000 miles (or less) and my 1983 Accord lasted 18 years and 195,000 miles...rust did it in. My current 1989 Civic with 193,000 miles is still running like new, but, once again, rust is creeping in. I'm bewildered when I see all those reports of it being "normal" for a car to burn a quart of oil at 3000 miles. None of my Hondas ever burned a drop of oil. What I put in 3000 miles ago is what I get out 3000 miles later, it was just darker! I'm looking to get a CRV to replace the Civic. It WILL have synthetic in it and I WILL change the oil & filter every 3000 miles. It's a cheap frm of insurance in my book.
That the 5 speed on the Gen3 is getting about the same MPG as my 2003 Gen2. I got about 27 on the highway, 21 in town, and about 23 mixed (70/30 city). The highway MPG was at 75-80; if I went 60-65 I could get 29-30 MPG.
I would have hoped that the extra gear in the transmission would have at least resulted in better highway MPG.
I'm debating a 2009 CR-V when my current lease is up, but the cost of diesel fuel is making me reconsider that option. My current ride is a 2006 Freestyle, which actually gets almost as good MPG as that 2003 CR-V - about 20 city and 26 highway, even though it weighs about 700 lbs more than a CR-V. It has a CVT, which may account for the difference...
I have an '07 CR-V AWD. Sticker mileage is 22 in the city. I knew I wouldn't get that in San Francisco, given the hills. After about 10K miles, I'm getting about 14.5 mpg in SF. Seems way too low. Opinion? Advice?
we did about 400 miles yesterday checking out the gf's new job in la crosse, wi. on the way out we took interstate at 70mph and were rewarded with 24mpg. driving home we took hiways at 55 and the dash monitor reported 25.3 when we pulled into our driveway. it was kinda hilly around the misssissippi and the temp was 10-20f all day. the trans goes between 4th and 5th a lot, even on the slightest hills. the rpm is a lot less at 55 though and that is what i believe gave the better mpg. here in iowa i always use e10 gasoline (10% ethanol). total mileage on the vehicle now is about 3500 and we are still on the break in oil-due to be changed soon.
I can't imagine a worse driving environment for mileage than SF. The curse of dashboard mileage indicators is that one sees just how low mileage goes when going up hills, accelerating or stuck in stop 'n go traffic.
My '07 CR-V gives me about the same mileage when driving in SF. But when driving around rural Sonoma county, home, the mileage averages 26. Advice? Don't accelerate any more than necessary when going up hills. But I doubt anything will help much. Even our hybrid gets lousy mileage in SF.
Our 07 CRV 2WD gets 22 MPG in around town driving here in L.A. county. That includes driving up and down hills in the Palos Verdes area. On two recent trips from L.A. to Santa Barbara we averaged 30MPG - mostly at 65-70 MPH. I am fairly happy with the fuel economy but, of course it can always be better. I think Honda did a good job on the compromise of power vs gas mileage. The car is plenty fast enough, gets decent mileage and you get to sit up high and carry a lot of stuff.
I just traded in my 2006 CRV for a 2008 CRV. Basic model. 2008 sticker is $300 more than the 2006 and stick shows a 3 MPG less than the 2006. But I got 24 MPG first tank and 23.5 for the second tank. The fuel economy gauge helps a bit in controlling the gas pedal.
Comments
The drive home from the dealership (car had 18 miles; I put an additional 4 miles of "test driving" around the dealership neighborhood prior to taking delivery) did involve varying speeds/RPMs as well as the 40+ mile trip home that night and some local driving around town the next day of about 60+ miles. The 3 hour road trip from VA to PA did include hilly terrain and a mixture of local and interstates so I'd say there were a mixture of driving and traffic conditions.
I definitely agree and concur with your assessment of the break-in procedures. In fact, I recall doing actually did exactly just that with my first car, a '95 BMW 318ti which this CR-V replaced, 12 years later. The only difference was that BMW's break-in procedure was 1200 miles and no fasterr than 85 mph and rev'ing above 4500 RPMs!
Seems to me, you did good!
I would personally not rev it past 4K RPM until at least 1K miles on the clock. Otherwise drive as (conservative) normal.
Cars with manual transmissions that go on a long trip with a fresh engine and maintain a constant speed and consequently constant rpm are more likely to not break in properly, than the auto trannies that vary the RPM by locking and unlocking the torque converter and shifting in and out of overdrive on hills and such.
There are people that believe the modern engines are highly polished inside so that "break-in" is not really necessary. I agree with the polished part.
However, I also believe all the various polished parts need to wear "INTO" the parts they rub against for the perfect (as can be) fit.
If I'm wrong, no damage has been done. If they are wrong, well....!
Kip
We are taking a trip from south Louisiana to Arkansas in early Feb. I am sure that between my wife, daughter and I + luggage the cr-v will be moderately loaded, and this together with the hilly terrain will probably reduce mileage. I will report on our return.
Our 03 4wd with 4 speed auto gets good mileage, when driven with a conservative foot. On Xway trips,and obeying posted speed limits, but not exceeding 65 mph, we can get 30mpg. At 2500 rpm our CR-V is running 65-67MPH. Locally, my wife gets around 21 and I get 23-24.
If I run at 70-75 mph the mileage drops to around 26 mpg or lower.
I agree with dtstof . We could have gotten a Civic for better mileage. But we prefer the more chair like seating, better overall visibility, room, plus hauling capabilities from Home depot, etc....
Kip
blueiedgod --
When I checked my 2008 CR-V Owner's Manual (page 226) under the section "Break-in Period", it makes no mention of not to maintain a constant engine RPMs during the break-in period. I looked at it before embarking on the trip, just to be sure.
Here's what it says, in verbatim:
Break-in Period
Help assure your vehicle's future reliability and performance by paying extra attention to how you drive during the first 600 miles (1,000 km). During this period:
- Avoid full-throttle starts and rapid acceleration.
- Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time.
- Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles (300 km).
- Do not tow a trailer.
You should also follow these recommendations with an overhauled or exchanged engine, or when the brakes are replaced.
Sorry, I didn't know Honda no logner stipulates that in the break-in procedures.
I traded a 2005 Chrysler 300 for the CR-V. The CR-V is slower. But in the plus column, is much easier to get in and out of. I can actually use an ATM from the car and not have to get out like I did in the Chrysler. Actually the CR-V is more comfortable and much quieter. Controls are easy. Cruise control on the Chysler is really stupid.
Gas milage seems to be very dependent here in Florida on the divers in front of me who cannot seem to maintain a uniform speed and hit the brakes for no discernable reason. When you can drive sanely the milage shoots up to almost 30 mpg in the city. With idiots it drops.
The 08 is a cute little bugger. The horn???? Honda really HAS to work on that little Japanese horn.
If you are going to use standard petroleum based motor oil your first oil change is not that critical. But if you wish to adapt your behicle to the new synthetic motor oils such as Mobil 1 (rated the best) then it is best to change out the standard oil and break-in oil at 1,000 miles.
It is a choice you make (hopefully informed) that you need to study. Engines perfom much better on synthetic oils. Best performer is Mobil 1 at this time. They last longer and far less wear. Some claim that an engine using Mobil 1 at 100,000 miles has less internal wear than the same engine type using petroleum olil at 10,000 miles. Bearings and rings seat better.
Once you move to synthetic oil don't go back to conventional motor oil. Choose one path or the other, grasshopper. I am not sure of what point it becomes a problem in switching. Just that with my engines I change at the first 1,000 miles, oil and filter and then every 3,000 miles after that. So far regardless of the make of car, the engines have all been flawless even in an engine known for having problems. (The Mitsubishi V-6 in the Dodge minivans) Everyone else I knew that had the same vehicle was blowing oil by the time they had 50,000 miles on them. I traded mine with over 100,000 miles on it for a newer model. It sounded and acted like new.
From family experience, although Honda has never to my knowledge had any engine problems, (we all use synthetics) our engines seem s little quieter and run a little smoother than others.
Much better? Maybe for an F-15. For a family driver, probably not. I drive them forever and get by fine on regular oil and the interval recommended by my manufacturer (5,000 and 7,500 intervals here).
Changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste of time and money, increases the amount of stuff in the waste stream and is about the dumbest myth I've seen perpetuated on the US motoring public.
But I rant - please check out the oil wars discussions:
Engine Oil - A slippery subject Part 2
Synthetic motor oil
Curious as to why you changed the oil at 1000 miles.
Referring to the post just above yours (632) .
"- Do not change the oil until the scheduled maintenance time."
May be a reason that Honda wants the factory oil to stay in there until 3500-5000 miles.
Kip
First the engine's basic breakin has been completed by 1,000 miles.
Second the metalic powder from a new engine can cause wear.
Third this is ONLY true when you have made a commitment to use SYNTHETIC motor oil permanently. you want to complete the break-in period in stnthetic and start working the petroleum based oil out of the engine. Usually some remains for 2 or 3 changes with filters.
While the basic breakin is completed by 1,000 miles, seating bearings, rings etc, there is more to it that actually occures about to 10,000 miles. But you want the inferior petroleum oil out of the engine as early as possible. Do a little reading on how superior synthetic oil is, expecially Mobil One.
That is based on my reading on it and my experience. It all has to do with friction and engine wear. With Honda you have a very superior engine, treat it that way and it'll last almost forever.
You feel changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste. Maybe. But on occasion I have run an engine up to 300,000 miles with very little wear. It is two things, early changes and using pure synthetic oil.
While technically you are correct - I feel comfortable with the choices I have made.
Even with the HIGHLY problematic Mitsubishi engine in my Dodge minivan, mine worked fine while most others failed early.
As to the waste issue...... I don't know where you live - but where I live oil is recycled. Well except for those who change oil in their driveways and allow the old oil to run into the sewer. Here - the dealer sends 100% of the drained oil to be recycled.
In my youth I had an engine fail because of not using the right oil and changing early enough. It was a painful thing to loose a big engine in a muscle car and face having to buy a crate engine to replace it. if it happens 2,500 miles from home it can be painful, expecially in a small town where you have to wait 2 weeks to get it done.
I bought a Honda for quality. There were several cheaper comparable vehicles to the CR-V I could have bought. I have elected to pamper it because I think it deserves it. Checking mileage yesterday I was getting over 30 MPG in the city until I got behind some folks who couldn't make up their minds on their speed. Then it dipped to 25 MPG.
I like my cars to perfom CLEAN (Green) and efficiently. I'm not telling you how to drive, just saying how I do and the results I get. I love my Honda.
I will do as the factory recommends. Change it at the scheduled time. Then install synthetic. The oil filter is in place to remove the metallic powder.
Thanks for your ideas.
Kip
Second the metalic powder from a new engine can cause wear.
Third this is ONLY true when you have made a commitment to use SYNTHETIC motor oil permanently. you want to complete the break-in period in stnthetic and start working the petroleum based oil out of the engine. Usually some remains for 2 or 3 changes with filters. "
You should be aware that the honda owners site recommends leaving in the factory oil as long as possible. The site says that the oil has special properties that help the engine break in. This instruction is the same as the Gen 2. The factory oil is specially formulated.
I left my initial oil in for 7500 miles on my 2003 CR-V, thereafter 5K changes.
So, does it matter if the Synthetic oil is Group III or Group IV oil. Mobil 1, which you say is rated best, is a Group III, oil, except for Mobil 1 Extended Performance. Other Group III oils include Pennzoil Platinum, Quaker State Synthetics, Castrol Syntec (except 0W-30 made in Germany), Valvoline Synthetic...
Group III oil are basically highly refined conventional oils, also known as Hydrocracked oil.
Group IV oil, is generally laboratory made oils out of polyolefin chains of known length.
Group IV oils are: Mobil 1 EP, Castrol Syntec 0W-30 Made in Germany, Royal Purple, Red Line (it may be Group V), and Amsoil.
So, the quesiton is: Does it matter if one is using Group III or Group IV or even V oil? (this is a loaded question)
Gen 3 CR-V must not have the oil filter.
I'll keep my Gen 2.5 then. :P
Are you saying that Group III Synthetics are petroleum based oils?
Thanks,
Kip
Thanks,
Kip
Yes, Group III oils are petroleum based oils. Group IV are PAO, and Group V Ester based oils.
You may already know all this but just for drill:
Every time you use the brake and the harder that brake is used, is an indicator that you could have possibly BEEN using less throttle before the brakes were necessary.
TIPS:
Keep enough distance between you and the car in front of you so that gas-brake..gas-brake..gas-brake are kept to a minimum.
Learn to read the traffic lights. If you know that light is going to change to red before you get to it, there is no reason to rush up to it. Approach slowly and maybe it will go green again and you won't need to stop at all.
If there are some cars sitting at a stop sign, approach slowly so that most of them are gone when you get there, so you may only have to stop once.
If there is a stop sign ahead, even with no cars, try letting off the throttle early enough so that you are nearly stopped when you get to it. This saves gas, brakes and tires.
Always remember that getting nearly 2 tons moving from a stopped condition is hard on mileage. Keeping it moving when coasting would have worked just as well, burns fuel and wears brakes and tires.
When moving away from a stop, use just enough throttle so the tranny will shift at around 2500 rpm without you lifting your foot.
I practice these things and my wife doesn't. I normally get 2-3 MPG better than she does, driving the same car, locally.
Of course all this has to be done in accordance with traffic. No need to send another driver into a "rage".
For demonstration purposes, try counting how many times you press the throttle for a given distance. Every time you can avoid it, you have saved gas.
The difference in city and Highway mileage are the number of starts and stops and the type of throttle usage. It is the number of little things that destroy mileage and a number of little ones that can help it.
Good luck,
Kip
Incidentally, most of the tips apply to driving stick shift vehicle in traffic. I probably shift less in the manual than most people switch between gas and brake in traffic. I see people riding each others bumpers as if they will get there faster doing that, rather than keeping enough distance to just roll at 5 mph. Of course it may be more difficult to do in an automatic equipped vehicle, as those tend to have a mind of their own.
Next time you are in a traffic jam, observe big rigs, they just crawl along and almost never stop nor change gears.
I don't think anyone expects to get there faster. If you leave enough space in front of you then others will cut in and you fall back in line and the people behind you get upset that you're holding them up.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I think that some of them are stupid enough to believe it will get them there faster.
Others are trying to intimidate the driver in front of them into going faster.
On a two lane road someone would have to pass me to squeeze in front. That is fine with me. Passing 2 of us may have resulted in an accident. If that wasn't the case, he would have gone ahead and passed the car in front of me also.
On 4+ lanes, I have the choice of riding too close for comfort and fuel mileage, or falling back some. Somebody pulls in front of me, I don't care. If the person behind me doesn't care for my driving style, they can change lanes.
Blueiedgod's example, of how the big rigs do it, makes sense to me!
Kip
You would probably at least double your MPG in heavy city traffic.
I got home and reset the mileage(3 miles trip). I removed the cap and re tightened 4 times. The warning never came back on.
I had always been getting about 25.5 MPG according to the readout. After driving to and from work this week(same as usual), I'm now over 1 MPG higher. I'm getting 26.5+ now. I wonder if a slight leak in the cap could have affected the mileage on my 07 CRV?
We have returned from our trip to Arkansas. Got 30.0 on the way up from south Louisiana. Filled up in AR and got 27.8 driving around AR. Filled up again (tank was not completely empty) and only got 26.5 on the way home. To be fair, on the way home we were driving in the rain with significant head/cross wind of 20-30 mph. All mpg reported above were hand calculated but the dash readout is fairly accurate (actually slightly pessimistic!).
Overall I am very pleased with the performance of the CR-V on a road trip. We are taking a trip to Colorado this summer and, if everything fits in the CR-V, I would prefer to drive it (for the economy) rather than my wife's Envoy XL which only gets ~ 22 mpg highway (but the long wheelbase Envoy does offer more cargo room and ride real nice!).
The CR-V now has 4,500 miles and the readout on the dash says 25.1 average mpg.
I'm not happy with my CR-V at all. Noise from road surface, stiff ride, lousy mileage.
I get better mileage on my Lincoln Town car.
Would not reccomend to anyone, sorry I bought it. Still less than 20,000 miles and well maintained.
But nearing retirement I will not trade, it's paid for.
Wish I chose better, like maybe a Toyota Prius, or some kind of hybrid, stuck with it though, so just try to drive as fuel consciously as possible.
I can't believe so many people in this forum claim 30 highway and mid twenties in town.
Don't buy one, Honda has really let me down.
I get better mileage on my Lincoln Town car....
.... I can't believe so many people in this forum claim 30 highway and mid twenties in town".
Bobbie,...Why did you buy the CR-V?
Kip
But your mileage may be a little better than your early fears. The CR-V has a small gas tank.
My son's Mustang GT got near 27 on the road, but around town was another story. He traded it for a Ridgeline!
The 07-08 CR-V is far superior to the earlier ones. I would like to trade my wife's 03 for one, but she has some kind of love affair with it. :shades:
Kip
she drives about 250 miles (one way) for her job each week, and so far has averaged about 25mpg on the hiway portion, and over 20 while driving in the city (omaha). this car is very new now and i'm sure the mileage will change as the odometer piles on.
maybe you can't teach the old dog new tricks, or maybe he likes a warm vehicle!
This past weekend, I wanted to test the car's highway performance, so I zeroed the trip computer while driving on the highway - by the time I reached my destination (~90 miles) the final number was 27.7 mpg
I had a 27.1 mpg roundtrip to NYC trip last Fall when my CRV had ~8000 miles on it. I guess there some improvement - if it means anything ?!
What speeds were you running for the 27.7 MPG.
How well does the CR-V do in snow and slush!
Kip
This is my first (compact SUV) after owning 5 compact-to-midsize Japanese sedans. The CRV definitely gives you more confidence and sense of safety in snowy conditions.
Stability, 4WD engagement, and ABS - all function well whenever they are needed, however, I would not put CRV in a "very good" snow/slushy conditions vehicle category (may be it is the 4 season tires that take away from its snow handling capabilities!)
You feel changing oil every 3,000 miles is a waste. Maybe. But on occasion I have run an engine up to 300,000 miles with very little wear. It is two things, early changes and using pure synthetic oil.
While technically you are correct - I feel comfortable with the choices I have made.
Even with the HIGHLY problematic Mitsubishi engine in my Dodge minivan, mine worked fine while most others failed early.
As to the waste issue...... I don't know where you live - but where I live oil is recycled. Well except for those who change oil in their driveways and allow the old oil to run into the sewer. Here - the dealer sends 100% of the drained oil to be recycled.
In my youth I had an engine fail because of not using the right oil and changing early enough. It was a painful thing to loose a big engine in a muscle car and face having to buy a crate engine to replace it. if it happens 2,500 miles from home it can be painful, expecially in a small town where you have to wait 2 weeks to get it done.
I bought a Honda for quality. There were several cheaper comparable vehicles to the CR-V I could have bought. I have elected to pamper it because I think it deserves it. Checking mileage yesterday I was getting over 30 MPG in the city until I got behind some folks who couldn't make up their minds on their speed. Then it dipped to 25 MPG.
I like my cars to perfom CLEAN (Green) and efficiently. I'm not telling you how to drive, just saying how I do and the results I get. I love my Honda.
Wow, you think a lot like me! I relgiously change my oil every 3000 miles (or less) and my 1983 Accord lasted 18 years and 195,000 miles...rust did it in. My current 1989 Civic with 193,000 miles is still running like new, but, once again, rust is creeping in. I'm bewildered when I see all those reports of it being "normal" for a car to burn a quart of oil at 3000 miles. None of my Hondas ever burned a drop of oil. What I put in 3000 miles ago is what I get out 3000 miles later, it was just darker! I'm looking to get a CRV to replace the Civic. It WILL have synthetic in it and I WILL change the oil & filter every 3000 miles. It's a cheap frm of insurance in my book.
Anyone else checking their mpg?
I would have hoped that the extra gear in the transmission would have at least resulted in better highway MPG.
I'm debating a 2009 CR-V when my current lease is up, but the cost of diesel fuel is making me reconsider that option. My current ride is a 2006 Freestyle, which actually gets almost as good MPG as that 2003 CR-V - about 20 city and 26 highway, even though it weighs about 700 lbs more than a CR-V. It has a CVT, which may account for the difference...
My '07 CR-V gives me about the same mileage when driving in SF. But when driving around rural Sonoma county, home, the mileage averages 26. Advice? Don't accelerate any more than necessary when going up hills. But I doubt anything will help much. Even our hybrid gets lousy mileage in SF.
Frank
For a direct comparison between the 2006 and current model, you'd have to look at the 2007 rating (which used the old scale).
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