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Anyone who pays more than MSRP in this economic environment is foolish, IMHO.
'Love the A-B comparison feature at honda2001.
http://www.fitzgeraldautomall.com/
Dealers who ask outrageous prices hurt the industry, including "good" dealers.
Bob
I mean, I have a rule that I never buy a vehicle I don't love. If you are luke warm about it when it's brand new, imagine 5 years down the road.
Wait and see the Vue, the Freelander, the next Forester, heck, even the big new Honda SUV. The next Accord may come as a wagon, too, if you want to stay in the Honda family.
Test drive lots of cars, eventually you'll find some thing that excites you. Just my 2 cents' worth.
-juice
Bob
Bob
Questions for those who test drove the 02' EX:
Has anyone who is 6' 3" or above driven the 02' EX? How are the legroom and headroom? I am more concern about the headroom because of the moonroof. My wife is 5' 3", is there visibility problem with driver around her height. The major complain that my wife has when we tested the 01' CR-V was the driver seat height adjustment. She is used to her 98 Jetta VR6 which has about 1.5 to 2" vertical travel. Did the 02' CR-V improve in vertical seat adjustment?
The height adjustement on the driver's seat is a little easier to use, but the range of movement is about the same. I felt that the adjustment was adequate. They've changed the seats and the position of the steering wheel, so that may effect how she feels about the need for seat adjustment.
Scname - There are two possibilities here. You will come to fall in love with the CR-V despite it's flaws. Maybe its reliability, cargo capacity, picnic table, or the spirit of GoongalaGoonga will win you over. The other possibility is that the little things that bug you will fester and add up to great bigs things over time. You'll find yourself leaving it with the keys in the ignition in poorly lit parking lots.
If the Tribute tickles your fancy, then think about how big a deal it might be to have it repaired every now and then. It might be worth it to get the car you want and deal with three of four trips to the dealer to get things fixed. Having a car that needs to be fixed every now and then is a pain, but it's not the end of the world.
Hey, I've been looking at Fiats and Austin Healeys for my Summer car. You can't get much less reliable than them. But the Fiats are dirt cheap and the big Healeys are drop dead gorgeous. It's a trade off.
Bob
In their defense, the string of recalls seems to have stopped. I think it's been over a year now without one.
Still, if you insist on Japanese quality (Tribute is a Ford cooperative effort), it's certainly understandable. RAV4 is nice, but small. Forester will be replaced soon, with a turbo in 2004 (Tribute power and Japanese quality you seek?). Nissan will eventually enter this class, and Mitsubishi will have a sport wagon by spring IIRC (though they've almost become a Chrysler subsidiary).
The choices are only getting better. You won't miss out by waiting, even for the CR-V, which will have lower prices.
Terry: good catch. Looks like they are squeezing dealer margins, but at least the CR-V added content (moonroof, rear disc brakes, 20% more displacement) and can justify the increase.
-juice
About Ford/Mazda reliability, I have worked for Ford and other supplies in Detroit, I think they are much better than before. But honestly, they are as good as Toyota and Honda (I used to got chew-out by some of my friends who work for big 3 when I said that). If you are really concern, consider buying extended warranty. It will still be a pain to take the car in for service, but at least you will have the cost covered. It is your call.
Varmit, thanks for the info.
Those two cars are classic examples of why not to buy v1.0...
Bob
Once again, I'm not saying that people shouldn't buy the truck based on reliability, I'm just saying they aren't out of the woods quite yet. FWIW, I agree with the extended warranty plan. In this case, it might be worth the extra clams and will take some of the worry out of any repairs that might need to be done.
I think the v1.0 models are just coming out now...
I believe that since their inception, both the Forester and the CR-V have only had a single recall. So they may be the exceptions to the v1.0 rule.
-juice
My first new car was a 1979 Fiat X1/9, one of three Fiats I've owned. I loved the X1/9, less impressed with the '74 131 or the 124 (I don't even remember the year). Didn't keep the X1/9 as long as I might have, as it was already starting to rust by 1982. Guess it wasn't desiged for Michigan winters.
From what I remember of the X1/9's published performance numbers, it wasn't all that different from my '93 Civic VX, though it felt much faster in the X1/9.
I'll probably go look at the new CR-V next time I'm on the eastside of town, but hope to avoid buying for awhile at least. The info here's been great. Perhaps the biggest cause for concern for me is the lack of full lining in the front fender wells. Why on earth would Honda do that?
Acceleration might not be earth shattering, but it'll still be faster than my current VX (which I'll keep forever),and the old X1/9, and probably only a little off my wife's Camry.
Hayduke - Tried the icsunonove, but literally could not squeeze into it. I'm told that they aren't that fast, but handle much like a Miata. In the world of Fiats, I'm looking at the Spyder. I'm told they have more legroom, but I have yet to try one.
Back to the CR-V. I really don't see why the open wheel wells is a big deal. I mean, the entire underside of the block is wide open. Where's the harm in having the sides exposed?
My first new car was a 1979 Fiat X1/9, one of three Fiats I've owned. I loved the X1/9, less impressed with the '74 131 or the 124 (I don't even remember the year). Didn't keep the X1/9 as long as I might have, as it was already starting to rust by 1982. Guess it wasn't desiged for Michigan winters.
From what I remember of the X1/9's published performance numbers, it wasn't all that different from my '93 Civic VX, though it felt much faster in the X1/9.
I'll probably go look at the new CR-V next time I'm on the eastside of town, but hope to avoid buying for awhile at least. The info here's been great. Perhaps the biggest cause for concern for me is the lack of full lining in the front fender wells. Why on earth would Honda do that?
Acceleration might not be earth shattering, but it'll still be faster than my current VX (which I'll keep forever),and the old X1/9, and probably only a little off my wife's Camry.
I had a Fiat 124 coupe (not Syper but exactly the same w/roof) - it was an early 70's and while torque was conspicuously lacking it was otherwise a hoot to drive. Another friend had one too and both of ours were reasonably reliable, if you consider that a statisically sig. sample. If they're still cheap I wouldn't mind having one - though I also had a TR6, and my wife had a Spitfire when I met her - both of those are even MORE fun to drive, but a little crankier in the maintanence dept. Of the old Brit roadsters the Triumphs are my favs, they are better balanced power/handling than others IMO. MG=too slow. AH=scary handling, very front heavy, lousy brakes, they do look GREAT though. Ahhh, those were the days. Good luck have fun...
Oh yeah - more dough but GREAT too - Alfa Romeo. I had a '69 GTV that's still my all-time fav car.
I saw a Mohavi colored crv '02 today. It was sitting next to the golden colored '01. The newer color has a slight bronze added to it. Very nice. I couldn't get them to open the doors (already sold). It may bee the only color the beige interior isn't offensive in.
I also had the same feeling about the Gillman Pontiac dealer at Sharpstown way back in the 70's
(I hope I am not showing my age.)
tatu1 - Tom Benson - I don't know anything about this dealer. However, when I had service done on my '89 Accord I went to John Eagle Honda on F. M. 1960 at 290. Maybe too far north for you.
I am planning on trading my '00 CR-V in February for the new one. I have only had it 13 months and already have 58,000 miles on it. I love it!!!! I would buy another CR-V EX 5 speed, Black, in a heartbeat.
Driving has improved considerably from the '01. Gone are the groaning noises while merging into the higway lane. Wind noise so seems to be less while on the highway. The speed limit was 55mph, so I could not try 70-75 passing etc. But I went upto 65 pretty smoothly. Some engine noise however is still there while accelerating.
Inspite of the slightly negative tone of the above comments, I found the car to be pretty decent. My wife really likes it. The dealerhsip had 4-5 EX of which 3 had already sold. They were asking for MSRP. Reasonable. However, what pissed me was the markup on the accessories: $ 489 for the security system (OEM cost: $163), $408 for fog lights (OEM: $238), $229 for cargo cover ($130) etc.
I have owned 3 CRVs and I expected more! The market is saturated with small SUVs
http://www.honda2001.com/models/cr-v/images/photos/2-big.jpg
Charlie1974, are you making your judgement based on where the handle is when the brake is engaged? I hope no one's going to be driving like that! Well, I'll be sure to check that when I see this thing in person. If you're right, then we should see something awful in the coming crash tests.
I have not noticed this comment in the previous posts. When I turned my head to look back (to the left) to make a lane change, the back pillar and head rest created a large blind spot. I could not see much of the left lane to check for cars, no matter how I craned my head. I suppose I could use the side mirrors only, but that may be unsafe in certain situations.
Has this bothered anyone? Or was I sitting funny? Thanks
I don't know whether there is a blind spot but all the driver's manuals I've seen tell you never to turn your head to look back while your vehicle is moving forward. Use the mirrors!
tidester
Host
SUVs
Also a few posts back someone mentioned the seats not reclining. Not so. The reclining lever is on the side of the lower back portion. I couldn't find it at first either.
Yes, the CRV does have some blind spots...but so does the vehicle I drive now, which is why I bought a little extra mirror to put in the corner of my drivers side mirror. There is never a time that a car to my left does not show up in one of them!
tidester
Host
SUVs
BTW, professional truck drivers HAVE TO rely on mirrors only because they have no choice --- there is the friggin trailer behind the cab!:)
I agree that some vehicles need either a better or an additional mirror. I think I paid $5-$10 fo the one I bought.
Certainly look left and then right when at a stop sign...but not while moving forward.
Will you actually have time to take your eyes off the road ahead for those split-seconds? You will if you are committed to being alert and driving defensively. This doesn't work for tailgaters, for instance.
Then I got to drive an Escape XLT for a day (rental while the Windstar was in the shop) and I was seriously impressed by the thing (power, handling, brakes) although the cheesy interior was obvious. We do not have any 2002 CR-Vs here in Canada yet hence I have not been able to compare the two. Has anybody been able to do back-to-back drives between the 2002 CR-V and Escape? The Escape would be a tough sell to my wife as she declared it would be a cold day in h-e-double-hockey-sticks before we bought another Ford!
New CR-Vs look decent... anyone had an experience with them in the snow?
Thanks a lot!
realized it is not a car but a truck and does not
have 5MPH bumpers like the Forester.I was backing
out of a parking spot and someone left a shopping
cart loose and I backed into it.My bumper was slightly scratched but if I did not have a bumper
it would have been worse.As for Ford Escape it is a 36000 mile car when it starts falling apart.My
Acura with 61000 miles is like new.Quality is worth the money.
Also....who said the CRV is a truck? It's on the civic body AND does have 5mph crash bumpers!
If you turn you head to see what's to your left, there is a serious blind spot. So, you WILL need to add the little convex mirror onto the side mirror. I also thought visibility out the back was not as good as in the '01. However -- "get up & go" was much improved; better shifting ratio; less road noise. Even though you can't fit CD's into the upper cubbie, there is a lower cubbie in center of dash that accommodates them. I liked parking brake location & can't imagine it would be a problem for anyone - unless they are driving with the thing engaged or have vveeerrryy long legs. Auto shift lever: again I can get use to easily, but really think this was one of those times where the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," rule should have been invoked. Dark interior is OK; tan - yuk! Still can't get over the cargo space - it's really big! UNDER THE HOOD: I am REALLY troubled by the no/open wheel wells. I'm in the SE w/o much snow, etc., but still think this could be a problem with road debris, mud, road tar, etc. being thrown up in there. (I like things under the hood to be kept as clean as possible.) And, my husband says if it's possible, I'll think of it - but, my gosh the openess is SO large that definitely varmits (not the one on this msg. board:) but cats, squirrels, etc.) could easily get in there. I think a small child could even crawl up into it! Really - go look for yourselves. I'm going to call our Honda mechanic & ask his opinion - it seems a definite drawback to me right now. SO, the jury is STILL out for me, but hope comments help others.