2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

artdecho · December 2001

most manufacturers, whose vehicles with rear-mounted spares get creamed in the rear bumper bash tests, always claim..."well, they meet or exceed gov't standards.....it seems Honda is no different. I just wish they'd set as lofty safety goals for the rear of the vehicle as they set for the rest of it.

sandhurst · December 2001

I have been following several message boards since September in order to help me decide what vehicle to buy. My wife and I have narrowed the choice down to the CR-V, Forester, and Highlander for SUVs and, for wagons, the Passat and Volvo V-70.

If the choice were based on a community of happy owners I would have to go with the CR-V or Forester. Both of these vehicles have an online group of mostly satisfied owners. The Highlander folks online don't seem as helpful, and the Passat and Volvo boards have a discouragingly large number of people with horror stories.

Right now we're leaning toward the CR-V. I just wanted to thank everyone for their answers to my questions -- especially varmit and juice -- and to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Bob in PA

ateixeira · December 2001

Good point, varmit. Perhaps Honda should say "exceeds government standards for cars".

Thanks for the positive feedback, Bob. I too learn a lot from this and other threads, and enjoy the discussions.

A wonderful 2002 to all.

-juice

PS Honda showed the Hybrid Civic at the show, and it was surrounded, garnering as much attention as the S2000. Got in an Insight for the first time, too.

eric102 · December 2001

Did you consider the Outback? Its also a good option for an AWD wagon.
Happy new year, Eric

slugline · December 2001

As with all vital fluids, your CR-V should have been filled with coolant/antifreeze mixture upon delivery. See your owner's manual on how to check the level and the proper change intervals. (If you didn't get an owner's manual, tell your dealership!)

When a change is needed, it is important to choose the proper fluid. The coolant must be labeled as borate-free, silicate-free, and safe for use with Honda's aluminum engines. The safe bet is to use Honda coolant sold at dealerships -- I bought a gallon jug for $13. This is pricey when compared to other coolants out there. However, considering that a half-gallon properly diluted with water should last 3 years or 45k-mi, the difference wasn't significant to me.

I did some checking around, and it appears that aftermarket fluid manufacturers have begun formulating their own compatible coolants. I recently corresponded with a couple of Havoline employees that assured me that their DEX-COOL will work fine in the CR-V. Xerex is also advertising their own formula as compatible.

If you are shopping in a retail store for coolant, the magic words to watch for are "borate-free," "silicate-free," "long life," "organic rust inhibitors," "safe for aluminum." Do NOT use the ordinary coolants (e.g. Prestone) that you may have used in cars 10-15 years ago.

Everybody stay cool now.

sandhurst · December 2001

The car will be for my wife, and she doesn't like the styling of the Outback. She likes the CR-V the best so far. In fact, she would rather have the CR-V than the least expensive Volvo V-70 even though the V-70 is much more luxurious. She is in a small-ute kind of mood.

Bob

eric102 · December 2001

I know what you mean about the styling, I didn't like it at first either when I first started looking for a small AWD. But after test driving most of the ones you mentioned, I ended up buying the Outback because of the ride, the handling and the content for the money were much better than the others, IMO. The look is starting to grow on me also. But, the wife still likes the CRV for her next car, so I continue to follow this thread (we are long time Honda owners).

Eric

varmit · December 2001

Artdecho - Once again... What does the bumper bash have to do with safety? The test is measured in dollars, not possibility of injury. A car that crumples upon impact might be totaled, but it provides better protection for the passengers. I understand your point about the possibility of $damage$ with a rear mounted tire, but please don't confuse it with a safety problem.

Sandhurst - Even if you get the Forester, you should join us for the next Allegheny National Forest trip. We've allowed Izusus and Toyotas into the mix. A Soob shouldn't be a problem (dunno about Kias, though). As posted before, we're organizing one for March (maybe April). This is light off-roading and requires no great level of skill. Here's another link describing trails in PA.

dudka · December 2001

i agree with varmint, the more damage done to the crumple zones the lower is the ijury in the passanger cage compartment. most new cars have crumple zones that are designed to... well crumple thus reducing the momnetum reaching the cabin. the insurance company only cares as to what they have to pay to fix your car and your hospital bill. but it the car's crumple zones do not soften the blow and the impact causes the passenger to die, the insurance company doesn't have to pay you, and can always blame the death on the manufacturer.

wwaite1 · December 2001

Hi every-one
Don,t know if this is the place to ask this kind of question, but anyway here goes. The manual in my 2000 Honda Accord says to change the air filter in the heating & air cond. system every 2 years .I just cant find were it is located. Can anyone fill me in on this and how to change it??
Thanks so much, Bill

joseaoe1 · December 2001

Does anyone have any information on Honda's plans to build a Hybrid CR-V? I saw a hybrid Civic @ DC auto show today & was impressed with how Honda was able to cleanly build in the hybrid tech without varying much from the basic 4-DR Civic LX style--I'm hoping that they can do the same with CR-V. I found an older USA Today article online that mentions Honda's plans for fielding a hybrid CR-V sometime after--no specifics provided--the launch of the 2002 model.

By the way... for the auto transmission question posted earlier: I have a 93 auto civic EX that I've owned since new & now w/135K miles and I've never had any problems with the auto transmission.. not the smoothest in the world but still drives like new & I'm no little old lady behind the wheel.

upstateny2 · December 2001

Rph2: I own a 97 automatic CRV. No problems with this or anything else on the vehicle. Still running smooth and I have no regrets.

zircon2 · December 2001

Here's what to do. Wait until you get your survey, which I believe Honda sends to all buyers. Slam the ____ out of the dealer - provide detailed info on the jerky behavior, names etc. Honda allocates hot models to dealers on the basis of their customer relationship data - generated from the survey. The dealer will get screwed when hot models are left out of his dealership. It is a pretty effective (if long term) form of punishment.

Happy New Years all!

varmit · December 2001

Dudka - Well now, I wouldn't say that the more a car crumples, the better it is. You certainly don't want it crumpling right into the passenger compartment. It's just that the damage to rear door (caused by the spare tire) has nothing to do with occupant safety.

FWIW, there are plenty of SUVs that don't have a rear mounted spare and still score lower than the CR-V on those tests. We're also talking about tests conducted at 5mph. They're more like a parking lot mishap than an accident at driving speed.

Wwaite - Try that question over at the Accord forum. I know that the A/C filter is located behind the dash in the CR-V. It's not an easy spot to get to. Here's a description of the job for a CR-V.

Joseaoe1 - According to older press releases Honda will develop a hybrid CR-V if the Civic Hybrid sells well. I haven't read anything recent.

canadiancl · December 2001

FWIW, our '97 auto has had zero problem. However, my brother, who got one from the first batch off the boat in '97, had to have his tranny replaced under warranty after about 1 year. I think the thing got stuck either in Drive or in Park. But he's had no problem since. So maybe his was just the exception rather than the rule.

frogman4 · December 2001

Can you by a CR/V in Canada and import it into the US? Costs? How are warranty issues handled?

Looks to me like the 2002EX w/ Leather has the heated seats and with today's exchange rate is about a $1000 less than MSRP for US CRV EX?

Anyone with thoughts on this?

Thanks

frogman4 · December 2001

Someone mentioned that you can add heated seats to a 2002 CRV. How do you do that?

theracoon · December 2001

This topic has been discussed a variety of times over on the http://www.hondasuv.com message boards. If my memory serves, the biggest issue was that American Honda wouldn't honor the warranty on a Canadian CR-V. There were also issues with registration, insurance, and import duties. You'd also be required by US Customs to make any modifications necessary to bring the CR-V up to US regulations for safety and emissions.

theracoon · December 2001

Aftermarket kits are available to add the heating elements to existing seats. They are not simple to install, since they require the removal of the seat covers.

Here's a link to a nice write up of replacing the cloth seat covers with leather and the installation of seat heaters at the same time. Lots of pictures and explanations. About 2/3s of the way down you can see a picture of one of the heating elements, just below the picture showing the red handled hog ring pliers.

http://www.ptcruiserusa.com/hondasuv/crvix/interiormenu/seat/leather_allant.htm

varmit · December 2001

Those are the same seats and heaters that I have in mine (not my writeup, though). They work well and can be installed without the leather. I had two options for placement of the switches. I chose to have both inserted into the switchblanks on the lower left section of the dash. It's a simple location to find by hand, but you cannot see the switches. It also means that I have to control the heat for the passenger. No big deal. The wife would ask me to do it even the button was within her reach!

The other location was on the side of the seat base. This would've required a bit more cutting into the plastic.

barnone · December 2001

DRIVE SAFELY!

jlyonmn · December 2001

The Canadian model has an outside air temp readout on the odometer. The temp sensor is located in the front bumper.

I'm wondering if anyone has any idea on how to add a this feature to the new (American) Cr-v. It's the one thing that I miss from my old Jeep. Living in northern Minnesota, knowing the temperature is sometimes not a trivial thing. I know I can add any number of after-market stick-on thermometers, and probably will if I need to. It would be nice to get the odometer-thermometer combination going. (it has a nice ring to it too).

dudka · December 2001

i must have misspoken i meant the crumplin in the crumpling zones but not the cabin. :-)

thermometer -- you can get a thermometer in the mirror from numerous aftermarket places.

rver2 · December 2001

Pardon my pride, here is a photo of my new CRV EX.

Ordered Nov. 12, picked up on Dec. 22. Only thing I was disappointed in was the "hard" tire cover was vinyl around the edge. Opted to stick with the original vinyl cover until they come out with an all around hard cover in black. Hope this posting works as this is my first attempt to insert a photo. Love the body cladding. Also added the front splash guards. My 6'4" husband likes it too. Over Christmas vacation we put on 1000 miles in 1 week. That 1000 miles included about 50 miles "off road" (forest service dirt roads). Very pleased. Happy New Year to all!

mpgman · January 2002

Looking for a smallish wagon for car #2. Happened by chance to look at a new CR-V. Without having to go back and read the entire thread, I'd be interested to know what make you all decide to go the CR-V route vs Rav-4, Forester, Focus wagon, Passat wagon, etc? What are realistic mpgs for the EX/SE AWD automatic? Will Honda deal on these or hold pretty firm to sticker? How are they for leasing? Suspect high residual value? Thanks and Happy New Year to all.

tmanmiata · January 2002

Wish you all a happy new year. I would like to thank everyone participated on this board. I really enjoy the insight from everyone. Special thanks to our host.

varmit · January 2002

Rver - Photo looks great. I don't recall where you're located, but we have CR-V meets coming up in PA, TX, and FL. Get that shiney new buggy to one of them!

You can get a completely hard cover spare, but it won't be color matched. Here's a link to a site where they sell them: H and A Accessories and a pic.

Mpgman - I was shopping back in 98 and 99. There are more and better choices now (I also know a great deal more). I ditched wagons because I do a little bit of mild off-roading. I didn't think I needed the space of a minivan. Both the RAV4 and Forester were too small in the back seat and I wasn't fond of the styling.

rbogey · January 2002

I just wanted to report that since I purchased my 2001 CR-V in early April I couldn't wait to see how it would perform on the snow covered hills that we have here in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Needless to say it climbed steep hills covered with 3 inches of snow with no problem!I was quite pleased with the way that the 4 wheel drive system worked. I Love It! Bogey

rver2 · January 2002

Just got around to checking the tire pressure today on CRV purchased 12/22. The pressure was 35! The book says they should be at 26 psi unless you are going 100mph+. We have wide open roads here in Arizona, but 100 is kinda pushing it. Backed the tires off to 26psi today. Mileage basically went from 31mpg at 35psi to 27.3 at 26psi. It was great to have the 31mpg but the ride, handling and noise seem to improve at 26psi. For those of you who like more detail: The tires are BF Goodrich Touring T/As. They have a max load rating of slightly less than 1500lbs (?)at a max psi of 35lbs.

Varmit: Thanks for the info on CRV meets. We are in Flagstaff, AZ, but occasionally get to Texas.

mikefm58 · January 2002

I just changed my anti-freeze and put in Prestone, which does say "protects aluminum and all other engine metals" but none of the other buzz words you mentioned. Should I have used a different brand?

mikefm58 · January 2002

I changed mine last year, it's located behind the glove box so you'll have to take that out and the glove box frame. It's a pretty easy job, took me about an hour to figure thigs out and get it done.

Check out http://www.hondasuv.com/ then click on "under the hood" then click on "A/C Filter Change" for some tips.

slugline · January 2002

It depends on which Prestone formula you used. If it was the stuff in the familiar yellow bottle, then you should have your radiator flushed and filled with a more appropriate coolant. Here is part of an email I got from a Havoline engineer on this subject:

"Most conventional green ethylene glycol antifreezes contain silicate along
with many other additives that protect the engine. The problem with
conventional coolants is that they have a short shelf and usage life
(maximum 18 months) and that as the additives protect the metals, they get
used up and form dissolved solid particles which are abrasive to water
pumps, seals, hoses, and gaskets. The silicates, in particular, also cause
problems both as a silicate gel if the additive drops out of solution or as
deposits on different parts of the cooling system causing inefficient heat
transfer. For quite a while the Japanese car manufacturers have required a
silicate-free antifreeze in order to eliminate the problems associated with
silicated antifreezes."

Before someone takes me to task for disparaging the Prestone brand: I just took a look at Prestone's website, and I do see that they do now have an "Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant" available that sounds like the right kind of stuff. The picture shows that it comes in a silver bottle. I think another good buzzword to watch for is "DEX-COOL" as it appears to be GM's new standard for coolants that don't eat up your water pump.

canadiancl · January 2002

Even though the recommended pressure is 26 psi, I find going up to about 29 - 30 psi give the car a little sharper handling while still not making the steering jittery.

dudka · January 2002

if you want a small wagon you should look into a Ford ZX3, mazda protege5, and maybe a ptcruiser. CR-V and others are rather large for a small wagon definition. they are not subcompact nor compact they are mini utes.
but anyway, the reason i went for CR-V is that honda dealer was more reasonable on the pricing. at the time the rav4 was hot and new and the dealer wanted ridiculous price for it. besides CR-V has more goodies standard and has much better rear leg room. all other's, ford, mazda, subaru, suzuki, kia... were off my shopping list beacuse of their track history and personal dislikes.
of course i am talking about the first generation CR-V, right now you can get a great deal on the first generation, prices may be close to and even bellow the invoice, good luck finding exactly what you want though. there is no SE, thus no leather, in the second generation. there are no huge discounts on the second generation CR-V's as of right now, but you can pre-order exactly what you want and wait for a few months to have it built and delivered to you.

ateixeira · January 2002

rver2: isn't that more cladding than stock? Was it an accessory or what? Looks good, and ought to go far in terms of preventing dings. Plus, it's easier to keep clean.

Tire pressures are high to avoid flat spots. The dealer should air them down at the PDI, but it's often overlooked.

If you like small wagons, check out the Protoge5, the Vibe/Matrix, and the Impreza. The WRX is particularly sweet.

-juice

lmastriana · January 2002

Rver2,

Good Luck with your new CR-V. Picture really looks sharp and the color looks neutral. When I saw the Mojave Mist at Car Show, it seemed to have a very "bronzy" look which I didn't like but yours seems to be more in the neutral tone. Maybe it was just the indoor lighting at the car show. What do you think? I haven't seen the Mojave Mist at dealership yet so I do ordered a Silver EX about 5 wks ago and am still waiting. Dealer told me it was built on Dec. 14th but they still don't have VIN. Is anyone else experiencing such a delay? Dealer also said Honda closes for a few weeks during December.

varmit · January 2002

Stock news, but the article includes an interesting comparison regarding platform sharing.

http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/dai/2002/january/20020102_dai_honda.xml

Juice - Yep, that cladding is an accessory. It's kind of controvertial. Many folks want less plastic, like the former SE/LE models. But there's quite a few who think that the accessory cladding make the new CR-V's front and rear bumpers look more integrated. Others think that the accessory cladding makes the best of an ugly design. I'm on the fence.

hannah10 · January 2002

Like to purchase a remote starter with new CRV. Will dealers do this?

ateixeira · January 2002

I like the cladding. It visually lifts the CR-V, making it look taller, more rugged. It's also practical in terms of being low maintenance and more resistant to dings/scratches. And yes, the bumpers do look more integrated.

That's cool that Honda made it an accessory, because people can choose which look they prefer. I'm sure it can be painted if someone wanted the monotone look, but then it loses some function (paint scratches much easier than the black plastic).

I see beauty in function. That cladding means you'll spend less time waxing and washing and more time appreciated an undamaged vehicle.

-juice

rver2 · January 2002

Yeah, the body side cladding is an accessory option. I was going for a bit of protection on dirt roads and thought the look was more pulled together. The cladding like the color is a matter of personal preference. The mojave mist metallic color seems to change slightly with clouds/sun etc.

ateixeira · January 2002

I'm sure that's a cool visual effect to see. Congratulations.

-juice

crvic · January 2002

It never fails...one month and a halve this time and from a beat up old mini-van (arghhhh!). I had really bad thoughts, but now I know better than to park in a tight spot during the holidays at Best Buy.

The paint was white on my blue 'V. I tried waxing it, which took the white paint away, but the dent is noticeable. It's on the passenger side, back door. At least I don't see it when I drive the car...

Do you think it's worth going for a repair quote, or should I wait until I get more dents on it (hope not)?

I'm really PO'd.

ateixeira · January 2002

Try paintless dent removal. It's really pretty cheap, all things considered.

Minivans actually have relatively short front doors, and the rear doors don't swing out, so you were playing it safe. The other driver was particularly careless.

-juice

crvic · January 2002

Juice:

Where can I get that? I never heard of it.

ateixeira · January 2002

I've never actually had it done (may be all that cladding on the Forester!), but I've heard plenty of people talk about it. Generally it's inexpensive and results are good.

Check your yellow pages under Automobile - Body Repair, and then look for one that advertises the service. Ask for references, and you're all set.

-juice

tmanmiata · January 2002

lmastriana - I ordered my on Nov 2. Got a called from dealer and said that the CR-V arrived Calf. (got VIN) at the end of Nov. Just got another call last Saturday while they were unloading the car at the dealer. Will be picking it up this Saturday!! The dealer told me they have no control over when the car will arrive. Sometime it may be faster, but it's typically about a month.

robr2 · January 2002

Try www.dentwizard.com

for a location near you.

erey · January 2002

Picked up our Eternal Blue CRV today. Put the following options on it:
fogs, running boards, cargo cover, front mud guards, metal look trim interior.
Total was $23,430 plus tax. We're happy with this deal. My wife really likes it much better than the Liberty we considered. Thanks.

mikefm58 · January 2002

Thanks for the info. slugline. I found Havaline puts out the right kind of anti-freeze. It says "Havoline extended life" and also states "dex-cool GM approval". I hope I didn't hurt my engine since I put regular prestone in last year and drove about 20K miles on it.

onelife · January 2002

went test drive a Red 2002 CRV 2WD LX last Saturday. Loved it. A couple of questions though: in contrary to many messages here, the CRV came with hard cover for the spare tire, Carpet Floor Mat and the rear mud guard. Are those the standard items or options?
I went with a Autonation.com price quote of $18,329 dated 12/21/2001 and asked the Dealer to honor it. (this Dealer is the ONE mentioned in the Autonation.com price quote.) They flattly refused to honor it and said they would only let it go at MSRP. I was kind of upset by that because I was prepared to buy it right there after I test-drove it. Now I am back to the drawing board. I still want a CRV, but I am upset about the way that dealer treated me. Think I will have better luck going with a different dealership?

2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

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