2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

dill6 · November 2001

A previous poster reported a sales manager telling him it'll be about 3 months before they start discounting. 1. of course he doesn't KNOW when they'll have to start discounting to move the stock and 2. if he's saying 3 months out loud he's probably thinking 3 weeks.

Anyone who pays more than MSRP in this economic environment is foolish, IMHO.

mainemanx · November 2001

Given that everyone's self-reported road test is more informative, candid, etc., why do I find myself still looking for road tests in the mags?

'Love the A-B comparison feature at honda2001.

rsholland · November 2001

You and I know that you can get a Trooper for much less than that price in our area. Here's the site, if anyone's interested:

http://www.fitzgeraldautomall.com/

Dealers who ask outrageous prices hurt the industry, including "good" dealers.

Bob

ateixeira · November 2001

Steve: with that kind of enthusiasm, why not wait for something that makes your heart palpitate?

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

rsholland · November 2001

If you're lukewarm now, down the road you'll probably hate it, and wish you had gotten something else.

Bob

scname · November 2001

But the car I really love is the Tribute. I just don't dare to own one given the quality problems. So its all coming down to compromise. The V looks good and has good quality.

rsholland · November 2001

I'd wait a few months. There's an all-new Forester just around the corner... Should be hearing some hard facts shortly according to Patti, our resident SOA rep over on the Subaru forums.

Bob

tmanmiata · November 2001

My dealer just called me and told be the invoice price for a 02' CR-V EX AT is $21040 (including $440 destination). Compare to 01' EX AT ($20132), it is a $908 hike, but the MSRP hike is only $750.

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?

varmit · November 2001

Tmanmiata - Last I checked I was between 6'1" and 6'2", but I'm longer in the torso than the legs. Headroom was not an issue (even with the sunroof). I feel pretty confident that you shouldn't have a problem there. Legroom was fine for me, but it's not like I had room to stretch out. That's something you'll have to check yourself. I'm one of those people who prefers to sit in a more upright, knees bent position.

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.

rsholland · November 2001

my next door neighbor has a British Racing Green '55 MG TF he's thinking of selling... He also wants a Healey.

Bob

varmit · November 2001

The other option is a Spitfire, but they're just too hard to find. Both the Healey and Spitfire cost more than a few bucks in good condition. I could buy an S2K with another couple grand. I can't fit into an MG or a Miata. Otherwise I'd grab one of those as an interim toy.

ateixeira · November 2001

You know what? Buy a Tribute and just bite the bullet and get an extended warranty. Maybe you'll get lucky and Ford will match the 7/100 warranty on Chryslers (if you like the Escape).

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

tmanmiata · November 2001

I actually like the Tribute too. I find the exterior is more appealing and really like the 200hp V6. Since our next car is for my wife, I choose reliability and better fuel mileage (if it is for me, I probably take the Tribute, besides, I like Mazda).
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.

rsholland · November 2001

is that most, if not all, of the problems with the Escape and Tribute have been addressed by now.

Those two cars are classic examples of why not to buy v1.0...

Bob

tmanmiata · November 2001

I have a 94M miata, love it. It is so much fun! It is really tight(legroom), and you can forget doing stuff like 'heel-and-toe'. It would be greatt if there is more legroom. Used miatas are quite a bargain, abundent and very reliable. It will make a great toy. S2K is too expensive for me, but it will make miatas eat dust.

varmit · November 2001

Juice - Actually, the recalls have stopped because Ford has stopped issuing them. The problems are still adding up. One that seems to have hit many Tribute and Escape owners is a problem where the engine shuts down without warning (like while on the highway). Folks have "fixed" the problem by replacing part of the electrical system (I forget which part). But IIRC, the part is the same spec as the factory issued one that was faulty to begin with.

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.

ateixeira · November 2001

More like version 0.9. Ford let the customers do the final quality control checks, and it was a mess, any way you look at it.

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

varmit · November 2001

Juice is also a Miata driver. I test drove a Special Edition 6 speed and even with my, ahem... 200+ lbs frame inside, it still felt light and nimble. I just wish I wasn't looking directly at the top edge of the windshield.

tmanmiata · November 2001

Scname, I meant they (3 big cars) are not as good as Toyota and Honda.

hayduke01 · November 2001

Varmit,

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.

tatu1 · November 2001

Thanks for the tip about Gilman, any experience with Tom Benson ??

varmit · November 2001

Uh oh. We've got a group of roadster enthusiasts coming of of the woodwork.

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?

barnone · November 2001

mud/slush splash from the wheels?

hayduke01 · November 2001

Varmit,

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.

dill6 · November 2001

uh-oh is right. Its could be dangerous to wake up those old, well... feelings...too late now.
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.

wellresearched · November 2001

Can these be installed later? Or must they be factory installed?

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.

golfdude · November 2001

What's the anticipated time frame for Edmunds to update the CRV info in the New Vehicle Prices & Info section?

hondababe · November 2001

scname - I got my '89 Accord from Spring Branch because I used a broker and that was the dealer he used. I live in New Braunfels now, so I went to Gillman in San Antonio. The reason I would never go back is because I think he lied to me about anything - now me being female probably had alot to do with it. I felt like even if it were easier to tell the truth, he still told a lie.
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.

shaq2kobe · November 2001

wasn't there suppose to be some surprise announcement when the '02 CRV hit the market, or did I miss it?

pal086 · November 2001

Found a dealer who has the new CRVs. Test drove a EX auto in the evening. Liked the new exterior. Ambivalent towards the interior. The AC controls look nice but seem to be pretty far away. Some of the plastic components and the door handles etc had a cheap look about it and this was after dark in a parking lot. Could not really stand the beige colour -- looks really ugly (maybe thats why I felt the interior was cheap). Anyway, to continue, the dash location of the automatic gears looks cool actually. Visibility was not a problem for me (5' 11) or for my wife (5'2). Wife also had no problem with the steering wheel (she was not comfy with the 'horizontal' wheels of the 01 CRV). I found the leg space a bit cramped while driving. There was no footrest for the left feet and caused some discomfort. Did not like the seat comfort too much either - I found them a little flat and there was only one knob that simply raises the height of the whole seat. I like my seats to be a bit inclined.

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.

charlie1974 · November 2001

I just finished looking and sitting in the new CRV and whoever is doing Ergonomics at Honda needs to be fired! Whoever designed the placement of the parking brake was kneeless. Why in the world would anybody put the parking brake in the area where your knee hits in an accident or just driving down the road. Big mistake Honda gurus!

I have owned 3 CRVs and I expected more! The market is saturated with small SUVs

carstuff3 · November 2001

I have noticed a lot of comparisons between the new CRV and the Tribute/Escape. I decided to compare the prices. To get a Tribute equipped like a CR-V EX, i.e. Moonroof, ABS, 6-CD, Side Air Bags, you have to pay a lot more. MSRP $25,420 vs $22,740. Invoice $23,647 vs $20,820. MPG is 18/24 vs 22/26. I guess thats the price you pay if you want a V6. IMO I'll pocket the $2,500+ and get the CRV. I'm sure one can get a better deal on the Tribute so the difference would be less, maybe $1,500.

canadiancl · November 2001

You have owned 3 CR-V's already? Why would you buy so many from the same generation? (Unless everyone in your family drives a CR-V?!)

slugline · November 2001

At least it doesn't look any more intrusive than the center stack of the past model to me.

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.

akabetty99 · November 2001

Hi everyone, I've been following this discussion while waiting for the new CRV to come in. It's been really informative. I just test drove the 02 CRV today. I am thinking about trading in my 1990 legacy wagon.

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

tidester · November 2001

betty,

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

wellresearched · November 2001

When I was taught to drive, I was told if your mirrors are set correctly, you should be able to know where your car and other cars are in relation to it. You should NEVER take your eyes off the road when moving forward. Have you ever seen a professional truck driver look back?

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.

wellresearched · November 2001

I can't tell you how many times I've had the "look back" discussion. One friend argumentively said...check your mirrors and THEN look back over your should to make sure you didn't miss anything!! My reply was.....that way you won't see yourself plowing into the car in front of you that slowed down! Mirrors..mirrors...mirrors!

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!

akabetty99 · November 2001

Huh, interesting. The person who taught me to drive (BTW, it was through a driver's ed school) told me that after checking the side mirrors, I should quickly verify by looking backwards to see that it is truly clear. It's now become a habit after 20 years of driving. they did give me a manual which I never read.

tidester · November 2001

I've seen more than one person get clobbered while rubbernecking - go by the book!

tidester
Host
SUVs

canadiancl · November 2001

which was many moons ago, we were taught to turn our heads to check when changing lanes either to the left or right. The specific term for that was "checking shoulder". So we were supposed to take our eyes off the road and turn our heads. You do this for just a split second, mind you. Maybe this technique is now obsolete?? But for right lane changes, I honestly don't think you can rely completely on the mirror, unless you have one of those special convex mirrors.

BTW, professional truck drivers HAVE TO rely on mirrors only because they have no choice --- there is the friggin trailer behind the cab!:)

wellresearched · November 2001

The point was they have HUGE blind spots and drive very safely by using their mirrors.

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.

slugline · November 2001

Before getting my license, I took driving school in the late 1980s. I was told to ALWAYS give a look to the side before changing lanes. Side view mirrors don't show vehicles two lanes over that might abruptly decide to move over into the lane you covet. I will totally agree that setting up your mirrors properly will help a lot, and my CR-V's mirrors are sized to give a pretty good view of the lane directly adjacent. I was also taught to look in the rear view mirror every eight seconds or so.

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.

bfyerxa · November 2001

I am currently driving a Windstar and am considering changing to a mini-ute (sick of driving the Queen Mary around town). Due to the current Ford problems and our experiences with the Windstar, my wife and I decided we were going back to Honda, hence the CR-V. We are waiting for the 2002 due to more power, etc.

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!

chuckiek · November 2001

Well to further complicate the blind spot debate I thought I would add my two cents. Took my drivers test in Ohio... 5 years ago. Only points I lost were for not checking my blind spot when changing lanes. So it was part of the driving test.... guess that means ya have to do it. Hope that helps...

New CR-Vs look decent... anyone had an experience with them in the snow?

todd48 · November 2001

If I, as a US resident were to buy a CR-V in Canada (Honda allows this with CR-V, but not Odyssey), would the warranty be honored once I brought it into the US?

Thanks a lot!

tomsr · November 2001

I was considering the CRV for my next car till I
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.

wellresearched · November 2001

Because of options and of course price, I very reently looked into buying a CRV in Canada. Now I spoke to a CAnadian in law who is a car dealer albeit Ford and he said it couldn't be done....heavy fines to dealership etc Do you have different information and where can I get it?

Also....who said the CRV is a truck? It's on the civic body AND does have 5mph crash bumpers!

varmit · November 2001

According to an owner at the CR-V IX, Honda has issued a recall for the '02 CR-V. Apparently there is a problem with the double pretensioned seat belts that are new to the CR-V. No details ae available, yet.

utopia · November 2001

Drove an auto '02 EX yesterday. Tmanmiata: I'm 5'2" & it seemed to me that the seat raised higher than in the '01 - still has that cumbersome knob though. (Wish list: power seats!) Visibility, reach of controls, etc. were fine for me. My husband is 5'11" & we both noticed there is less front leg room in the '02 vs the '01 - largely due to the redesign of the front dash with more cubbies, etc. Ample room, but not as spacious as in the '01 - tradeoff on what's important to you: legroom vs cubbies. Also, missed the left foot rest.

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.

2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

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