2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

atthebeach · January 2002

Well I finally have one complaint about my 5spd ex! I changed my oil today and WHY do they put the oil filter on so tight that you have resort to unkind thoughts and a mental image of some guy with a monster torque tightener, setting it to 1000 lbs. Well I finally got it loose with my new oil filter wrench from the top of the motor standing on a bucket to get enough weight on it and it finally came loose...whew( I'm no lightweight 6'1' 220). All the changes will now be gravy.

I did get a Honda filter and it is smaller than all the other filters for Honda's I've owned in the past but it was the same as the one I took off my V. 2200 miles and running better every day.

No one should go over 75-- okay but one of the magazines said that the 5spd top end was 99 mph let me just say that I don't believe them anymore..

ATB

Spyponder · January 2002

Just make sure your 8-hour trip home in your new CR-V is not all on the highway. I think they say you're supposed to mix up speeds during the break-in period.

tidester · January 2002

Here's our latest Road Test: 2002 Honda CR-V

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/48575/article.html

tidester

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SUVs

corynat · January 2002

Not sure if you were still looking for answers on the clunk sound you heard. Mine does the same thing. Can only hear it if the radio is off and things are quiet, but it is there. Asked the dealer and was told that when you reverse and hit the brakes, you will hear a small thunk the next time you apply the brakes after you start to move forward. It was two years ago, but I think he said is was the calipers resetting or some such thing. He guessed what I was going to ask before I finished the question, so if it is a line he must give it quite a bit. At least with my car, he is correct in the fact that if I park overnight at the curb and do not have to go in reverse - no thunk. Not sure if this helps, but there you go.

crvic · January 2002

I'll be taking the CR-V to the dealer and see what answer he gives me.

rutger3 · January 2002

"speed doesn't kill,stupid people do". Wrong! It's not speed or stupid people but in reality it is STUPID PEOPLE WHO SPEED that kill. The same goes for handguns,it's not just the guns and not just people,but People with Guns who kill people. One without the other can't hurt anyone. Think about it,just a stupid person minding their own business will not kill you; and what is speed on its own going to do,heck it's not even a tangible thing. Anyone who thinks traveling 90mph on most US roads is safe has to be crazy. Imagine trying to stop at that speed. These vehicles are not made for driving that fast. They are not sport cars.This is an SUV for crying out loud. Wanting to drive faster is normal,but actually doing it is another especially when they are putting others lives at risk. Please think of other people when driving that fast. If a family in front of you has a blow out or brakes sharply for a deer, where do you think you and your CRV will end up.

varmit · January 2002

Dudka - I doubt that your CR-V's BO has anything to do with the speed you were travelling. It may simply be a matter of breaking it in, but I don't recall hearing about this with earlier models. We all used the same RT4WD system, so I doubt that's the issue. I didn't have a chance to dig into the possibility of the new exhaust materials, but I'll post on that asap.

Onelife - Spyponder is correct. Don't take it out on the highway and set cruise control for hours. To properly break in an egine, you should vary the RPMs for the first few hundred miles. Use it as a chance to find more interesting roads. In fact, we have CR-V event coming up in PA. That would make a nice detour.

carguy62 · January 2002

Maybe this has been discussed but I think the Pilot being introduced in the Spring can only help buyers get a better deal on the CR-V. Hopefully the dealers will concentrate on scamming, er getting the Pilot buyer to pay MSRP on this higher priced vehicle and maybe just maybe they may actually let a CR-V go for under (I'm being a little facetious if you couldn't tell).

Honestly I do think it will help as well because some potential CR-V buyers will move up to the Pilot leaving more of what seems to be the best mini SUV (or whatever category it is in) for those of us who don't want a V6 or seating for eight (or seven). What do you think?

dkerbow · January 2002

Been driving the CR-V (EX auto) for just over 1 month. The first 2 tanks for city driving (or better inner-city driving in Chicago), got ~19.5 miles per gallon. On a trip to Texas (after 600 mile break-in period), got ~24 mpg going against a south wind and 27-29 mpg coming back north.

I expected the city mpg to improve slightly after the full break-in (now have 3000 miles on the odometer). But my first tank back in the city was 17.8 mpg.

What are others' experiences? The CR-V seems to be running smoothly (except for occasional hesitation from a stop sign that I may just be imagining). I know I'm being a bit obsessive about this but what are new cars for?

zops · January 2002

Obviously will vary with where you live and park most often, but should I be concerned with the external spare/cover? Has there been more noticeable attempts, in these vehicles with outer spare/cover, of theft/vandalism of spare cover?
Is there a lock available for the spare? How much and is it worthwhile?

tmanmiata · January 2002

Anyone has the new V know what the suggested max speed during break-in? I understand it is better not to cruise at constant speed for a long period during break-in. I will pick up my new V this Saturday. It is going to be a 4.5 hours drive, mostly freeway. Any suggestion? varmit had a link to a message in RSX board saying coasting between 30 to 65mph for 20 times. That maybe a little too much. Is getting out on service road once in a while good enough?
onelife - good for you, looks like you have a good plan. There is really not much to see/do in Okla(pardon me for saying that). I am not sure where you will be coming from, there is a Precious Moments town in Carthage, Missouri, which is about 2 hours from Tulsa. My wife loves that place, I found most of our female friends do too. Maybe you can take a trip there with your wife. Check out www.preciousmoments.com if you are interested.

ateixeira · January 2002

Pilot may take some of the high-end buyers away from the CR-V, but my guess is the prices won't come even close to overlapping.

For break-in, the general rule-of-thumb is to keep it under 4000rpm except in emergencies. That ought to allow "go with the flow" highway speeds.

-juice

diploid · January 2002

Last night I was followed by a 02 CR-V (recognized the headlights instantly). Now I know what they mean by saying "cartoon character" in reference to its looks. But I still prefer it over the old model's front.

varmit · January 2002

The Pilot should pic up where the CR-V leaves off. I doubt there will be much cross shopping with the CR-V. However, if the $25K starting price is accurate, it may steal a sale or two from the CR-V's V6 competitors. With the third row of seats, it will certainly take the heat off of the Ody.

Spyponder · January 2002

I heard about some theft of the CR-V spare tire cover when I got mine three years ago. Consequently I removed the cover and I keep it in the garage. Besides not worrying about it getting stolen, I will also have a nice, new cover when I eventually sell my CR-V. Plus, I found I prefer the "bareback" look of the spare w/out the cover.

In any case, wheel locks are a good investment. When you buy the Honda wheel locks, they give you five of the locking lug nuts, which includes one for the spare. Just make sure you keep the adapter somewhere inside the vehicle

carguy62 · January 2002

I also don't expect the prices to overlap. I was referring to someone who wanted a real Honda SUV. Before all they had to choose from was the CR-V and MDX. Now they have a third choice that may be more to their liking.

varmit · January 2002

Carguy62 - Yep. The folks who have been crying out for a Honda SUV with a V6 have their buggy. Hope they like it.

inky · January 2002

Just curious. Honda pretty firm about 5w20 and can use 5W30 but drain asap and replace with 5w20.
5W30 has been used for years by Honda. The switch is only to improve CAFE in my opinion. Perhaps .5 MPG with the fleet and Engine wears out 5 % earliear due to increased wear. 5w20 is THIN--especially in OK. BTW I use Motorcraft 5W20 semi synthetic in my Odyssey and Acura 3.2 TL
INKY

carguy62 · January 2002

I'm confused (not the first time or the last I'm sure). You question whether you should use 5W20 in the CR-V, but then you go on to say that you use 5W20 in your Ody and 3.2TL. Based on your use of upper and lower case I am guessing this is a typo? If you are already using 5W20 you must have bought the argument.

FWIW I personally would use what they recommend (and did in my Accord which also recommends 5W20) but don't think 5W30 will hurt anything. YMMV.

mam9 · January 2002

I'm leaning toward "Rosebud." Whaddaya think?

storyteller · January 2002

Cool! And you'd have an instant litmus test of film literacy each time you tell someone new the name of your car.

anupm · January 2002

Just bought my 2002 CR-V, EX, Auto, CloverGreen from Wieser Honda,MO for $22,640 (MudFlaps, Retractable Cargo Cover, Cargo Tray included). Waiting period - 2 weeks. The salesperson was Chris Brown. Really nice guy to talk to and very reasonable.

cslee6 · January 2002

I ordered a front tower brace for my 2001 CRV. The company charged my credit card but never sent the order. And it is impossible to get hold of him. Maybe he has caller id and for those he chooses to screw over he doesn't answer the phone. I've left messages, faxed, but still no answer, no confirmation, receipt, or UPS tracking #. The only time I talked to him was the day the charge posted to my account and he said that the order had shipped 'yesterday' and that I would get it in 3 days ground UPS. But it never came. I filed with the Better Busines Bureau and disputed with my credit card company. And according to some people on Hondasuv.com he (Jon Mandel aka Manb) has done this before. So do not do business with them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

robr2 · January 2002

...call your credit card company and tell em what's going on and dispute the charge.

corynat · January 2002

Probably the most common reason I hear from people when they say they are not interested in the CRV is the horespower. It never has enough horsepower. That got me thinking about when this thirst for horsepower erupted. I don't recall thinking that much about horsepower when I was first beginning to buy cars, and I think I know why. Check these numbers I looked up on Edmunds:

1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer - 4499 lbs - 144hp V8
1990 Chevy Suburban - 190hp V8
1990 Chevy Blazer - 160hp V8
1991 Explorer - 155hp V6
And my favorite, 2002 Land Rover Disco - 4630 lbs - 188hp V8 (ouch)

Now, granted the torque on most of these is pretty impressive, but it still cracks me up. I keep thinking of dropping the 2.0 from my CRV in a Grand Wagoneer. More horsepower. Bet that sucker would really fly.

varmit · January 2002

I've recently begun to cultivate an interest in old rusting British and Italian roadsters. Those things have a heart stopping 80-90 hp!!

Of course, they're so light you have to park them with a paperweight on top...

tidester · January 2002

cslee,

Maybe he has caller id

Try a pay phone!

tidester
Host
SUVs

anupm · January 2002

All you CR-V Gurus out there

I get a feeling that my 2002 Cr-V is veering toward right, whenever I let the steering wheel slightly loose ? Has it something to do with tire pressure etc. or do I need to take it to the dealer.

Please note that this is only when I let the steering wheel loose and not otherwise.

isellhondas · January 2002

Don't let the steering wheel "loose" !!

Check your air pressure. A tire a couple of pounds low can cause this.

diploid · January 2002

It could also be the road condition. What seems like a perfectly smooth and flat road surface may in fact be a bit crooked.

cslee6 · January 2002

...

bobgordon · January 2002

Diploid could be right.
Road conditions play a very active role in how your V tracks.
If your wheels ride up on the "crown" of the road, this can cause a pulling condition.
Find a highway and check it again. Check your tire pressure (tire psi is on the sticker inside the drivers door) for the recommended psi.
If it persists, take it back to the dealer.

varmit · January 2002

Anupm - A while back there were a number of CR-V owners (1st gen CR-Vs) who had a similar problem. It was common enough that it earned the nickname, "the dreaded PTTR" (for Pull To The Right). The majoiry of owners found fixes by either rotating their tires or having a proper alignment done. Try the cheap fixes first (tire pressure, tire rotation...). If that doesn't work, have the dealer check the alignment. You can find the specs at www.Hondasuv.com

dudka · January 2002

the horse power alone doesn;t determine the grunt the vehicle has. a 140-170 hp v8 will have over 250 fl-lbs of torque. it will get you from 0 to 30 really fast, and the really run out of breath. most 4wd vehicles are desgined to go off road, this is when you want the low rpm torque, and not horsepower to get you up that rockclimb, and get you ot of that sand dune. actually horsepower is a made up term for us lame folk. i think 1 hp was the power an average horse had to carry certain load certain distance. most engeneers measure engine output in kW (kilo-watts, just like the electricity) and torque in N-m (newton-meters) or for us in US ft-lbs (foot-pounds) if you look at the european and japanese specs for their cars they list kW first, then bhp, then torque in N-m.

corynat · January 2002

I agree. That is why I mentioned they all had good torque. Still funny how it has become a fixation.

anupm · January 2002

I'll check the tire pressure first and then (if required tire rotation).

Once again, thanks for your prompt, valuable advice.

Good Day !

isellhondas · January 2002

It always drives me nuts when people test drive used cars and take their hands off the wheel.

The street in front of our dealership has quite a crown. Some people will immediately take their hands off the wheel....IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT!!

Big difference between a normal "drift" and a "pull".

bess · January 2002

I read the Edmunds review, and I don't dispute their numbers, but I hope it is understood that they were comparing the CRV with the 5sp manual tranny with the Escape V6 (which is only available with an automatic,, arg). Cudo's to Honda for making the 5sp available.

Also, the CRV has considerably smaller (diameter) tires than are found on the standard Escape, and even more so than the Escape with the 16" alloy wheels. This can also help get things going quickly..

I would guess that just by putting the automatic tranny in the CRV would make it finish behind the v6 Escape in the 0-60, but not by much..

lynnekid1 · January 2002

I'm considering purchasing a 2002 CRV within the next month or so. I have read most of the CRV info on Edmunds and other sites but I would like actual consumer feedback. Do you all like your CRVs? Anything I should look out for?

rver2 · January 2002

I was browsing the Edmunds CRV photo forum and low and behold there is a photo of a 2002 mojave mist with a true hardshell tire cover! The posting was from Canada. Why won't Honda sell this color matched hard tire cover to the U.S. customers???????

rburnard · January 2002

rver2: That's my Canadian '02 you're referring to. I don't understand it either, you guys got screwed out of a lot of great features like heated leather seats, heated mirrors, body coloured bumpers, hard spare tire cover, outside temperature sensor. That's all standard on the EX-L trim level here in Canada.

lynnekid1: I absolutely love my 02. If I didn't have a wife and kid I would probably be out all night just driving it around. I test drove the 2001 model last year and there really isn't any comparison. I'm not aware of anything you should look out for.

-Rob

dindak · January 2002

How are people liking them so far? Notice a few on the roads these days.

Any problems so far?

canadiancl · January 2002

Any real-life problems encountered so far?

diploid · January 2002

To find out...it has the same hole.

jfavour · January 2002

I have a few impressions for you. Overall I really love my new CR-V and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It has more than adequate power for a vehicle of its type and is a comfortable, fun to drive car/truck. I have very few quibbles. The defrost settings on the climate controls lock in the A/C and it can't be turned off when using defrost. The stereo isn't superb (its adequate). The stereo controls are a slightly further reach than other vehicles I've owned, but work logically. It rides a bit harsher than my 2000 Accord, better than my 95 Integra. It is about as quiet as my V6 Accord under most normal driving conditions, which is to say fairly quiet, with some road noise intrusion. The best part of the vehicle is it's functionality. It seems huge inside in both front and back seats, plus there is a lot of storage space in the rear cargo area. If you have kids it also is a great vehicle, but a bit small if you have more than two. I have only one now and one on the way, so my current kid sits in the middle back and it would be a tight fit for a car seat on either side. The tether straps attach to the ceiling in the cargo area so they may limit tall cargo carrying capacity some and they limit rear vision a bit. Overall outward vision is a bit hard for me to get used to. It is more difficult to see out than other cars I have owned, but this is my first SUV so I can't say whether it worse than other vehicles in the same genre.

Overall I'd say if you like Honda cars and want an SUV, you will love it.

smartmoney · January 2002

I live in Columbus Ohio and I can't find a dealer (out of about 10) that will sell me a CR-V EX for under sticker. My buddy works for a dealer in Jersey so I know there's $2000 dealer profit. But the demand is so high in this region, with 2 month waiting lists, they don't have to budge on the price.

Does anyone know if there's a dealer within 5 hours of Columbus that would give me $500+ off sticker?

spike78 · January 2002

I also live in Columbus, OH. I went to 4 dealers and finally pay -$100 off the sticker around mid Dec at Hugh White Honda (downtown). And I'm still in wait list number 2!

strager · January 2002

Very interesting to read comments from a new CR-V owner. You mention road noise, is that significant at freeway speeds or in the city? And if you have driven the 01 model, how does the noise compare?

Also, is the outward visibility a problem for the rear, or all around? Finally, how does the handling compare with your Accord?

mf15 · January 2002

Just for kicks after reading that some people were on a wait list. I did a quick inventory search of 4 dealers in the Philly suburban region, there are many other dealers. Found 35 CR-V's. There seem to be quite a few out there. Of course there are more Ex than LX and color selection may not be what you are looking for, stick/auto. Mike

bfyerxa · January 2002

I have a 2002 EX (Canadian hence no roof) 5 spd. I have about 700 miles. Overall I love the vehicle as it fits my needs well, i.e., I do not off-road, I do not tow, and I want the economy of the 4 cyl. I treat it like a small mini-van that has some personality. It is solid and fun to drive. I personally found the 5 spd much quicker than the auto, but at a price. The 5 spd is geared quite low (engine spins faster) and the tranny gear spacing is quite tight. Its like they took the 6 speed RSX tranny, removed 6th, and re-geared the final reduction to suite. This translates into about 3500 rpm at 75 mph (120 kph). Fortunately the engine is quiet and smooth so it is not too bad. But it is great around town! Compared to the Escape it is not quite as "fun" to drive but it smokes the Escape on build quality (and re-sale, etc.). I did not look at the Vue so I cannot comment on that comparison. Fortunately car demand in Canada (especially Ottawa) is so-so hence the dealer gave us a reasonable deal right off the bat.

Here's what I would do to make it perfect for me:
- re-gear by raising both the final gearing slightly and lowering 5th a bit to get 75 mph down to 3000 rpm and make 1st a little longer
- put in a dead pedal!
- variable intermittent wipers

2001 - 2006 Honda CR-Vs

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