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Comments
Steve
ALL cars will roll backwards on hills if you take your foot off the brake!
Back in the fifties, Studebakers had a "hill holder" they touted quite a bit and some Subarus have this feature too.
Other than that...it's normal.
regards,
kyfdx
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By then I doubt many will be with the original owners.
-juice
I wouldn't worry about it.
-juice
I'm not saying it's excessive or unusual, just that it is a factor in purchase consideration.
Also keep in mind that there is no really long term information on the hybrid technology - the oldest are only 5 years or so old, and the technology is changing somewhat.
Some people purchase a car in it's first year of production; I ususally wait until the second year. The prius fits in this category for me.
That said, the battery pack does bring in an additional cost that non-hybrids don't have. I just think your expectations of the CRV are a little optimistic.
regards,
kyfdx
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I actually drive a Ford Focus as my primary car, and although have not had trouble free experience, I find the Focus much more comfartable and can take it for 6+ hour road trips. My 2c
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Its a great car in many ways but am really ndisappointed with the driving comfort.
I also have a loud rattle in the sunroof whren it's tilted up. Has anyone experienced this?..and if so what was the problem. Mine has about 1,200 miles on it thus far.
Thanks
Actually, I know of several hondas in my extended family that went over 200K. Most recently a 1984 civic that was sold with 275K on the odometer.
200k with no work is optimistic. JDP's durability study says the average vehicle has 2.7 problems after just 5 years. If you're talking 8+ years, even the most reliable brands will have issues, for sure.
The engine may still run, but you'll have water pumps and other accessories fail before the 200k point, IMO.
-juice
-juice
Is the CR-V reliable enough to last past 150,000 miles? Kinda bummed out that I'll be putting that many miles on a car (any car) in such a short time. Anyone else in this same position? Or am I wrong about average miles put on cars?
Thanks!!
Also, range is important, you may have to fill your tank every 3 days! Look at highway mileage and gas tank capacity for longer range.
If diesel is cheap near you I'd add the Golf/Jetta TDI. Range is excellent and diesels tend to last forever.
-juice
regards,
kyfdx
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Thing is, these small SUVs are good in urban environments with big pot holes, or rural roads with gravel or dirt. For smooth pavement and highway commuting, you're not really taking advantage of the 8.1" of clearance or RT4WD, yet you get 25mpg and range suffers.
Just my 2 cents'.
-juice
if you can wait until the end of the year, the Honda Accord Hybrid might be available.
Just a word of advice. If you get reimbursed for mileage take 1/2 of the mileage check you get and put it into a savings account. Don't touch it until you need to buy a new car. You should have enough there including your trade-in to pay for a new car cash (almost).
If they don't pay mileage. track all your driving and deduct it on your taxes. (Consult a tax advisor though). This can add up to some big savings also.
If you do get a CR-V you should be able to get at least 150k out of it. So instead of a new car every 4 years you are probably looking at every 6 years. not too shabby.
Congrats on the new job.
Do the math.
It can pay for itself easily. Like Aggie said, setup a seperate checking or savings account and pay all vehicle expenses from that account and all reimbursements into that account. You'll be amazed at how rapidly that account grows.
It also helps if you enjoy doing your own maintenance.
Here's the form we use, Schedule C:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/f1040sc.pdf
-juice
Thanks!
CR-V "snow test".
IMO the Subie will have a traction advantage, maybe try out an Outback if the Forester doesn't fit you well. Wait for the 2005 Outback, which will offer a whopping 8.7" of clearance to get over that snow.
Also ask yourself if you want other all-weather features: heated seats, heated mirrors, wiper de-icers, limited-slip differentials, etc. Subaru offers more of those if you live in snow country.
Then forget all that and buy the one that gives you the bigger smile.
-juice
This begs the question, better at what?
Better at distributing power? Yeah, sure.
Better for fuel economy or packaging? Not so much.
Ultimately, because the Soob system is always sending at least some power to both the front and rear wheels, it has the advantage of being proactive. It might prevent slippage. However, because it is always sending power to the rear, it is always "wasting" some power due to driveline inefficiency.
The CR-V's RT4WD is reactive in nature. It doesn't waste any power driving the rear wheels when the rear wheels are not needed. Instead, the system kicks in only when needed. The transfer of power is very quick, but even a split second could be a split second too late. This is why most experienced CR-Vers recommend driving it like a FWD car.
In the real world, RT4WD is more than enough for safe driving. It's not the ultimate system, but it works well enough for most drivers. If your daily commute included a drive over a frozen lake, I'd recommend a more capable system.
My comments on the snow conditions reflect other differences between the designs. The CR-V has more ground clearance and better approach/departure angles than the Forester. While the Forester has better snow traction, it may get mired down in deep snow, or when traversing the berms left by plow trucks.
Different tools for different conditions.
In this regard the CRV is great
So I'd call it part-time, auto-engaging 4WD.
The way I define AWD is that it is full-time, so you'd need a center differential like Audi's Quattro (torsen style) or Subaru's (viscous coupling).
Hard core 4WDers might say you need a low range to have true 4WD, so it depends on which definition you accept.
-juice
When a Jeep owner says he has "lockers", he means he has a locking differential that forces both sides to spin at the same speed. This is not good for dry pavement - your tires will make pretty nasty noises if you do a U-turn. So it's for slippery surfaces only, but it forces both wheels to spin together in a situation like yours.
The solution to that problem is a limited-slip differential. That allows some variation, but only enough for that U-turn. If the wheels spin at wildly different speeds, the other side will eventually grab and turn with the spinning wheel.
Another solution is traction control. By applying the brake to the spinning wheel, power is transferred to the other side.
Honda has yet to emply either for the US. I believe they have VSA in Japan and that would include stability control plus traction control, so really it's ideal. Traction control could manage both axles - so all 4 tires get some power.
As it stands, a FWD CR-V will send power to at least one wheel, sometimes 2. A RT4WD CR-V will send power to at least two wheels, and up to 4.
Compared to the Forester X, which has AWD standard, you'll send power to at least 2, up to 4. The Forester XS/XT does have an LSD on the rear axle, so it sends power to at least 3 wheels and has the traction advantage.
Hope that makes it clear. Check out http://4x4abc.com/ if you want more detailed info, that's a cool site to help you understand how it all works.
-juice
I think a rear LSD is optional, again like Subaru, so if you have it at least 3 wheels get power, and yeah, it should have the edge.
Tires are, of course, a big factor.
-juice
If it's slippery, the CR-V will not, cannot, send power to all 4 wheels. Power will take the path of least resistance and basically 2 wheels will spin while the other 2 get no power.
This is why off roaders get aftermarket differentials. You need two limited-slip or locking diffys to really go "four wheelin'".
-juice
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
-juice
This is a 2002, purchased in Dec., 2001, and has 52000 km (31000 miles) on the clock. I have never been happier with any vehicle, and I've owned more than 30.
I think I will need new tires for next winter, but I'm not prepared to go to separate summer and winter tires, and I'm not prepared to go to larger rims. I'm in Canada. Any advice is appreciated.
Hmmm, when the RT4WD kicks in, it doesn't stop the front wheels, it engages the rear wheels - and the transmission is sending power to all 4 wheels. Have you seen some document that states that the front wheels no longer receive power when the RT4WD engages? Or maybe you meant that all 4 wheels won't get traction (as opposed to power)?
However, when the rear wheels are no longer needed, they stop getting power from the transmission, thus saving gas.
It's worth taking a look at them at least....here's a link to the Nokian web site.
http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/homeF.cfm
-Tim
Thanks for all the great comments.
The trouble is 1) I've always wanted a CR-V...sob! 2) But I need a car with great gas mileage 3) We don't need an SUV per se, but the other family car is a VW bug and we kinda need a vehicle with a little more cargo room....how else would we be able to haul the christmas tree? Actually, we love to camp and need some cargo space for the tent and misc other stuff.
I've thought about getting a Matrix, Vibe or Focus (wagon type cars) too.
And yes, I'm getting reimbursed for mileage....and I was thinking the other day that if I do exactly what you guys suggested and sock away all the mileage checks and this old '95 Accord holds up for another two years, then I might be able to save up almost enough to pay the entire car off (with some help from other sources).
But I guess I was trying to figure out if it was worth buying a new car every 5-6 years, but I guess that's going to be my fate regardless since the extensive mileage is always going to be there and the fact is, I've always wanted a small SUV or wagon.
75,000 Miles x .375 = $28,125
Gas and Maint for 3 years should run you no more than $8000.
A CR-V with 75k and 3 years old will still get you 5/6 on a trade in and 8/9 on a private party sale. Even if you financed the car for 5 years after 3 years you should be at the break even point.
Worst case scenario, after 3 years you sell the car for what you have left on the loan and break even there. Now you take the $20,000 that is in you account from mileage less expenses. Go down and plunk it down on a new CR-V maybe $25k by then . You take home a new CR-V with only a 5k note on it. You start saving again. 3 Years later new Pilot maybe MDX?
And if you keep the car for 150,000 miles which the CR-V should have no problems doing. You'll be way ahead. you should have enough by then to pay cash for new MDX.
Good luck.