What Generation is your "V" / share your likes/dislikes

[TheCrvster]

Just curious how many users here have what vintage.
Gen 1 2 or soon to be 3:)

I have a Gen "2" 2006 SE pewter pearl.... had 3 months to date... gotta love no service visits to the dealer
Likes... perky little thing, handles great/mileage is great! and parks almost anywhere...used to larger trucks, but do not miss!
Dislikes... none at the moment!

[bush555]

I've a 2001 that is likely the best vehicle I'll ever own. In 102,000 miles of largely urban driving it's had no service issues apart from routine maintenance and a new dash clock (the original burned out).

Dislikes are few and minor. The rear gate is hinged for the JDM, which can make curbside loading somewhat awkward. The B20Z engine is a reasonable performer, but at 146 horsepower offers few thrills in a 3,200 lb. vehicle. To replace a front signal bulb you must pull the wheel well liner.

My vanity flirts with trading it now and again (I live in L.A.), but the V's rarefied combination of high ground clearance, 800 lb. load capacity, excellent visability and overall comfort, bundled into an efficient, attractive SUV with a 5-speed transmission, pulls rank every time.

http://www.crvownersclub.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

[beckey76]

I have a 2005 Eternal Blue Pearl EX.

I love my V, the only thing that bothers me is the visors, they don't go back against the front window and really limit my view.

[Gretchen]

I have an 05. I love this vehicle! Only a couple of complaints - I wish the driver's seat would go back just a bit more. I have also had some serious rear differential issues. :(

[jbarco]

I have an 05 SE. I love the manuverability and ease of parking of this vehicle after owning a variety of "boats" over the past years.

My only complaints are the OEM tires (poor winter traction) and what I believe to be a high level of road noise. I'm going to fix the tires by buying a set of Goodyear Assurance Tripletreads and see if I can lessen the road noise by an application of Dynamat.

All thing considered, it's still a GREAT vehicle for me.

JB

[benailes]

i have an 06 LX 4wd. I like it so far. I'm not totally impressed with the air conditioning though, sometimes it never gets cold, just kind of cool.

[TheCrvster]

i have an 06 LX 4wd. I like it so far. I'm not totally impressed with the air conditioning though, sometimes it never gets cold, just kind of cool.
We have an 06... I would take it to the dealer if it doesnt blow cold... ours works great!

[CR-Vickie]

I guess I'll grow to love my CR-V after I've gotten used to it and accessorized/upgraded a bit, but I can't say I'm totally satisfied with it at the moment. I don't care for the location of the gear shift, the sound system doesn't come up to my expectations and I think the seats are less than comfortable - and, I never thought I'd say this, but I can't wait for the tires to wear out so I can put some Michelins on it!

I guess I just miss my '96 Accord EX coupe. I think it had a bit more of a luxury feel and few little added nicey's... kind of like going from the Ritz Carlton to the Budget Inn (maybe not that extreme, but you get the point). I bought my 06 V with the idea of keeping it for several years... now I'm thinking I'll be looking again in a year or two. On the other hand, maybe I'll have fallen in love with it by then! Who knows??

[sgtsandman]

My biggest beef is the front wheel drive layout. There is hardly any room to work. The vehicles I have had that were rear wheel drive were sooooo much nicer to work on. Dependability wise, I have no complaints and it has done everything I have asked of it (with in manufacturer's specifications of course).

[2RedV's]

It's a skewed poll... We have both a 1st gen and a 2nd gen, both red, of course.

[smig]

I have a gen 2 SE Sport (not sure what the US equivilant is ?), I think over all its excellent, my only minor gripes are the very plasticy looking dash, and the rear visability when reversing (I havn`t got any backup sensors, yet).

[Greenzter]

I have a 2006 4WD. Like most things about it. Never cared for the outside spare. Also, I wish Honda had windshield wiper heaters like some competitors. And more adjustments for the driver seat.

But, I like it.

[connermt]

07 EX Silver
Just got it about a month ago
Likes are many, so I will list the dislikes:
tranny shifting
engine power
no coin holder
Wish fors:
wish for a "stronger" looking front air dam/bumper
auto up/down on all windows
turbo or V6

[SmoothRide]

Hi. I also have a 2007 ( pick up this Tuesday). But I see 1st and 2nd generations models almost every 5 mins on the road. That alone , IMHO speaks to the high quality and reliability of Honda. My favorite feature is the HDD Navigation sys., pop in a music cd and auto records to hard disk in about 5 mins. Wish Honda had a V6 option for CRV, though.

[GordonFan]

I have an '07 EX-L with Navi.

My biggest (only?) gripes are:

1. When you end your drive, only the driver door unlocks automatically.
2. The space between the dash and the center console could have a bin to hold stuff you need access to quickly (CD wallet, lunch for work, etc)

Overall, it is a fun vehicle

[RichK]

I have an '07 EX-L with Navi.

My biggest (only?) gripes are:

1. When you end your drive, only the driver door unlocks automatically.


Page 86 of the owner's manual: Auto Door Unlocking

Two of the five settings are: All doors and the tailgate unlock when you move the shift lever to the Park position.

All doors and tailgate unlock whenever you turn the ignition switch to the accessory (1) position.

[GordonFan]

Page 86 of the owner's manual: Auto Door Unlocking

Two of the five settings are: All doors and the tailgate unlock when you move the shift lever to the Park position.

All doors and tailgate unlock whenever you turn the ignition switch to the accessory (1) position.

Awesome! I'll check that out...makes me look pretty lazy, doesn't it?

Thanks!

[Black Pearl]

I have had the vehicle for only a week so I am still suffering from new car shock, and I don't know anything about the previous models.

What I like about the car:

The look. It has a snarky (I don't know what that means but when I look at the front end snarky come to mind) looking front end. It is a cool looking vehicle.

Handling. It handles very well. I like the steering and responsiveness.

Gas mileage. I think, that remains to be seen.

The room & fold up seats.

Cool looking dashboard. The Blue is very cool.

Power. It is better than I thought.

Cool looking interior.

Alloy wheels.

The sound systerm .

Timing chain (no belt).

Spare inside under the floor.

Hatchback.

What I don't like:

Hideous interior door handles.

Seats are hard

Lack of knee room between the shift console and the door handle.

Lack of interior storage.

Fold up tray.

[Craggs]

What I like about mine is the interior space and the ease of driving it. It's also a great family car for me my wife and my eight month old daughter. What I also like is the fact it beats my mates freelander at just about everything especially on snow!

What I don't like is the fan vent speed and the knocking noise I get from the antiroll bar underneath, I think a bush is worn.

[ORANGEE]

Gen 3 - 2007
Haven't had it long enough yet for dislikes

[Mac81]

I have a Gen 3

Likes

-Room
-Build Quality
-Looks
-Fuel Consumption


Dislikes
-Suspension Softness
-Brakes

[Black Pearl]

I have had the vehicle for only a week so I am still suffering from new car shock, and I don't know anything about the previous models.

What I like about the car:

The look. It has a snarky (I don't know what that means but when I look at the front end snarky come to mind) looking front end. It is a cool looking vehicle.

Handling. It handles very well. I like the steering and responsiveness.

Gas mileage. I think, that remains to be seen.

The room & fold up seats.

Cool looking dashboard. The Blue is very cool.

Power. It is better than I thought.

Cool looking interior.

Alloy wheels.

The sound systerm .

Timing chain (no belt).

Spare inside under the floor.

Hatchback.

What I don't like:

Hideous interior door handles.

Seats are hard

Lack of knee room between the shift console and the door handle.

Lack of interior storage.

Fold up tray.

Everything is about the same as my original assessment with some exceptions.

The power is nothing to write home about. Satisfactory, but thats all.
The seats don't bother me anymore.
Before I merely disliked the interior door handles, now I detest them to the point of liking to take an axe to them.
Same thought for the fold up tray and lack of interior storage.
I don't like the headlights on low beam, the built in shade is aggravating.
The headlights on highbeam are great.
The gas mileage is OK, not fabulous, but OK.
I love the transmission going up hill but not down. I still don't like it holding in a lower gear. Often I have to step on the accellerator to get it to shift up.

[2RedV's]

....
I love the transmission going up hill but not down. I still don't like it holding in a lower gear. Often I have to step on the accellerator to get it to shift up.I like the downhill part - especially when braking and it also downshifts to assist with engine braking.

[cr-xwidow]

I loved my '99 so much that when it was totalled last month I swore to buy another one just like it - and I picked it up last Saturday!

Likes:
- its distinctive yet understated good looks
- handling and acceleration is quick and zippy, to me at least. I've never had a powerful car so I can't really compare
- storage storage storage! So many cubby holes and pockets I don't know what to do with them. I'm a natural slob and my V is spotless
- related to the previous one, the wet storage bin under the picnic table is perfect for holding necessary items such as my emergency kit and an extra bottle of windshield washer fluid. It allows the cargo area to be reserved completely for luggage or my dog :)
- it allows me to sit higher up than a car, yet I don't feel top heavy or perched
- the RT4WD is a godsend in winter when combined with my Michelin X-Ices
- so many more I'd have to spend all night listing them

Dislikes:
- not a huge fan of where the window controls are mounted
- the seatbelt cuts into my neck no matter how I adjust it, so I got one of those ugly belt wraps badged with "Powered By Honda". I hate that thing
- can't think of anything else...

[Sandpebble]

Remember the V's are rate rollover prone. The replacement tires have to be of proper design or your asking for control trouble. The factory bridgstones are only rated for 30,000 miles wear but have stiff sidewalls. Softer tires are tippy as sidewalls flex.They are OK for passenger cars but not SUV's. Depending what wheels you have,you can use a wider tire than stock,as long as it clears wheel wells and is the same hight as origional equipment. Any other hight will make your speedometer off. The wider tires will help ride but they still have to be strong sidewalls. Some tires can be run with less air than the maximum on sidewall. The air pressure is relative to the weight of the vehicle loaded up. So the ride will be better if the correct tire presure is used.To much air a stiff ride ,to little air a dangerous soft ride that can cause heat up and loss of control. Don't just buy any tire get an SUV tire.

[OSX2000]

1st-gen. Best looking by far, in my opinion, it just needs MOAR POWAR!

[conrado]

i got my Gen 2 CRV on October of last year when the 2007 Gen 3 was about to be launched.
i rushed to get the last batch of Gen 2s because i honestly dont like the 3rd generations shape. no offense to Gen 3 owners but when i come to think of it, i even like the Gen 1 much better than the Gen2.

but i have no complains on my V.
its a pretty cool car if you ask me.

:)

[hughfan]

I've owned all three Gens. First was a red '99 which I loved and kept for five years. Next was a beige '05 which offered a bit more comfort and a few more amenities. A week ago I picked up a Glacier Blue '08 and so far, only minor complaints. The '05 had lots of cubbyholes which the '08 lacks. I never used the open "shelf" above the glove compartment in the Gen 2 because things would fly off in a hard stop. But the covered compartment in the '08 isn't much good because it's out of reach when I'm driving. The drawer under the passenger seat is mostly useless, just like it was in the Gen 1. I have complained about the center fold-down tray in each model. It should be a full console, IMO. But those are minor inconveniences. The Gen 3 gives me a bit more legroom, I love the moonroof (we've had perfect moonroof weather ever since I got it), the outlet for my iPod, and the sleeker style. But last night I visited my dealer's website and saw all the photos of my '05 in their used inventory and I had a bit of remorse. It was a great car, still in great shape and I hope whoever buys it takes good care of it like I did. :) If I could afford two cars, I'd have kept the '05!

[lizzurd]

When my Integra no longer suited my needs i almost bought a 2000 CRV SE until Honda brought out the Element. I drove the E for 3 years and started getting the itch for a new one. I was leaning towards waiting for the 2007 to be brought out but i had 2 problems.....i didn't want to wait till the new CRV came out only to not like it and i was at the point where i could get top dollar on the Element. So i bought another E. No regrets...but now i will hopefully be in a postion to trade in for a diesel CRV if and when they finally make it to North America.


With the 2007's i do prefer the shifter location and tailgate design to previous models.

[Sandpebble]

I'm in a Gen 2 EX now reading about the Gen 3's with the 2.2 i-CDTi Diesel. It is not available in US. When it is (and even now for the Europeans) it should be refered to as GEN 3D to indicate the diesel. Perhaps even GEN 3DE for the European diesel and GEN 3DUS for the US version as they differ by design. I know it refers to the body changes but until reciently they were all gasoline powered. There are physical changes to the underbody and interior has pading to quiet noise. Even the last GEN 2's in Europe had diesel therefore there is a need to refer to these as GEN 2DE's.

[jeprox]

i have a gen3 2wd and my complaints are:
- a little low in the power dept.
- cannot open the rear hatch from inside
- the hatch is electronically controlled
- the bottom piece on the rear hatch is plastc, hatch should be just one piece.

the rest are 2 thumbs up

[Black Pearl]

I have had the vehicle for only a week so I am still suffering from new car shock, and I don't know anything about the previous models.

What I like about the car:

The look. It has a snarky (I don't know what that means but when I look at the front end snarky come to mind) looking front end. It is a cool looking vehicle.

Handling. It handles very well. I like the steering and responsiveness.

Gas mileage. I think, that remains to be seen.

The room & fold up seats.

Cool looking dashboard. The Blue is very cool.

Power. It is better than I thought.

Cool looking interior.

Alloy wheels.

The sound systerm .

Timing chain (no belt).

Spare inside under the floor.

Hatchback.

What I don't like:

Hideous interior door handles.

Seats are hard

Lack of knee room between the shift console and the door handle.

Lack of interior storage.

Fold up tray.

Everything is about the same as my original assessment with some exceptions.

The power is nothing to write home about. Satisfactory, but thats all.
The seats don't bother me anymore.
Before I merely disliked the interior door handles, now I detest them to the point of liking to take an axe to them.
Same thought for the fold up tray and lack of interior storage.
I don't like the headlights on low beam, the built in shade is aggravating.
The headlights on highbeam are great.
The gas mileage is OK, not fabulous, but OK.
I love the transmission going up hill but not down. I still don't like it holding in a lower gear. Often I have to step on the accellerator to get it to shift up.

I have had the Pearl now for 6 months and 1 day, 9300 miles. The current assessment:

Like:

The look...still...well sometimes.

Handling. When I have to rent a car for business trips, I can't wait to get back to the Pearl.

Gas Mileage still OK, not fabulous, but OK.

The room and fold up seats are great for a vehicle this small.

The dash board is still very cool, but I would like to have the shift lever up on the column and flop my knee where it is now.

Power is adequate just watch getting on Pennsylvania Interstates.

Alloy Wheel. Care less about them now. They are round, don't care what they look like.

The sound system is quite good, heard things in our Christmas CD's that I didn't know was in there.

Still like the spare in the floor and the hatch.

The ride don't bother me no longer.

The seats are OK.

Headlights, same comment.

The lack of knee room is still a major complaint. Get rid of the door handles and stick the shifter on the column.

The door handles. Oh how I hate thee. I no longer want to take an axe to them, I want to bazooka the damn things right off the car. I detest the door handles to the point of sheer hatred. Never have I despised a door handle like I do on the V. It is a constant source of irritation.

Same for the tray and lack of interior storage.

No heated mirrors. Why do I have to have leather to have heated mirrors? A good bit of the US has rather rotten weather this time of year, why no heated mirrors?

TPMS. Not a major irritant to me, but if it is not going to work, I would just as soon not have to pay for it or have glowing yellow lights on my dash board. I am certainly not going to buy extra sensors and fly off to the dealer to get this riduculous system "functional" again.

I am still not crazy about the grade logic control going down hills. "C'mon shift already!"

The amber turn signals in the back are too bright. You blind the poor guy behind you. I leave them off at a light and turn them on when the light turns green.

I would like to have a published maintenace schedule as well as the Maintenance Minder.

The visors are pathetic.

The center arm rests in the front are not quite pathetic, just approaching pathetic.

Goes great on ice. My driveway was a sheet of ice last night (it is very steep) and I didn't know. Almost fell down when I got out of the car. If it went into 4WD, I was not aware of it.

Alas the color, Black. I'll never get black again. The car is never clean.

The squealing air conditioner leaves a little to be desired, but really doesn't bother me that much.

[X-Brawn]

My only complaints so far (which are pretty minimal considering those I had with the Ridgeline) are the carpet/rugs on the floors are wearing down a bit prematurely already and the limited adjust-ability on the driver's seat on an EX. I think with the 2008 change from 2007, they should've put driver's power seats STANDARD on the EX trim level.

Plus, the angle for driving with my right knee is causing it to hurt a bit, but that is just my knee getting used to it. It'll take time.

[PaJan]

I am new to Honda and purchased my 2008 EXL without Nav three weeks ago and I am enjoying it. I just had window visors, windshield, and foglights installed and thanks to this board I got the Honda items discounted and had a non honda reputable dealer install them for much cheaper. I am looking forward to many years with this vehicle.

[Black Pearl]

Welcome to the club! Always glad to see fellow members from the Burgh!--the most livable city in the US--misery loves company.

One thing to watch with your V in Pittsburgh, it is a little sad in the 40 to 60 MPH accelleration department. With Penn Dot's enduring tradition of making accelleration ramps 25 feet long you have to watch those merges. My favorite is the stop sign at the entrance ramp at Greenfield on the Parkway East (right before the Squirell Hill Tunnel).

Good luck with your new V and we will look forward to hearing from you.

[Markc]

I have had my CRV for over two months now - since 29 Feb to be exact.
Some of my comments are a bit mixed... I think only a V owner will understand them...:o

Though the fuel mileage isn't great, it is excellent compared to the 97 Ford Explorer that I traded off. And it is better than our 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan (but what do you expect for and additional 1000+ pound of weight.

I like having the rear door that swings open, though a nice feature of the ones that swing up is that if it is raining you don't get soaked trying to get your stuff out. This rear door - some of you have seen my other posts - has an issue with the rear overhead light when the door is opened. This problem has seemed to cleared up - I am monitoring it and will have it looked at again - next time I am at the dealer.

The Flip up tray - this seems to be a novel idea, but you can't get to anything that is underneath it. I am considering removing it and finding a center console box similar to what I had in the Explorer.

I had a noise in the air handling systems, it sounded like a whistle - I had it to the dealer on three separate occasions - they kept writing it up incorrectly as a rattle in the dash. On each occasion, I had to tell them immediately that it hadn't been fixed. This is after spending two or more hours waiting. On the first visit, the tech had already left for the day. They rescheduled. The second visit, I had to explain to the tech twice what the issue was. Apparently I seemed to be the only one that could hear this noise - until the junior tech came out to ask the other one a question. The task was then given to him. He found out the problem was the fan motor. They had ordered a replacement fan motor, and required yet a third visit to have it replaced.

The Road noise is terrible! I have Michelin HydroEdge tires. Like the Ford Explorer, I never understood the book. The Honda book says the Tire Pressure should be 29psi. The tire is rated to 45psi. I have aired the tires to 40psi to increase fuel economy - from 29psi on the first couple of tanks at 24MPG highway, I now get 26MPG highway. Can anyone tell me why I should follow the Honda book? I am considering upping the pressure to 45 as stated on the tires.
Ford had their problems with Firestone tires - Ford recommended 28psi, where the Firestone recommended 45psi. There was a worldwide recall on the Firestone tires, where they replaced them with Goodyear Wrangler tires. The Goodyear store that did the replacement advised that I ignore the book, and go with the tire specs.
As far as the road noise, I am going to use dampner pro. Noise Reduction and Sound Deadener (http://www.secondskinaudio.com/store.php?category=70)
I am also considering having an undercoating applied to the car.

The Radio is great! I enjoy having the CD changer and the control on the steering wheel. I find it annoying when I get into the wife's car - the 2005 Grand Caravan and I want to adjust the radio. The thumb reaches for the control that isn't there - argh!
Last year, I bought a new radio for the Explorer - a JVC CD player with a Line in and USB port on the front and a mini remote control. I removed it from the Explorer before I got rid of it and will be installing it in the wife's car soon.

The Picnic table has come in handy several times already. Once at a family reunion, and many times at work. I used to carry a small table around with to job sites to set my laptop on. I have a small step stool too that doubles as a chair. The table broke when someone sat on it. Everyone wants a CRV now so they can get a picnic table too.

The car is much smaller than my Explorer, but I have gotten used to it. I just can't carry as much junk in it - now is that really a bad thing?? not really.

For the kids, I have a DVD system that I bought a few years ago that hangs on the back of the front seats. They hadn't gotten much use until now. We bought it before a trip to Disney. A few months after that trip, we had gotten the Grand Caravan, and got a JVC 10.2" ceiling mounted DVD player/screen. I am considering getting a pair of headrests with the DVD screens built in. The ones we have seem to take up more room than they are worth. If anyone has a recommendation, let me know.

The one thing that I don't like AT ALL, is the Power ports only having power when the key is on. The Explorer had this on all the time. Everyone that I have asked about this, said they are concerned that it would drain the battery. We had the Explorer since June 2001. We had to replace the original Factory battery in December of 2002. Then didn't begin to have battery trouble until this past winter. I usually always had something connected to the power. I am working on a solution to this. I will deal with a failed battery if it comes to that.

Well, I didn't think I would have too many things to tell about, but as you can see, my entry is lenghty.

Mark

[PaJan]

Thank you Black Pearl and it is nice to see another local owner. I know exactly what entrance you are talking about but luckily I do not use that one. When I do come through there is so much traffic at a stand still when I use to work in Wilkinsburg. I use to have a Ford Explorer V-8 so I am sure it will be different. I am out here by the airport and not yet had the pleasure of going towards town yet.

[Black Pearl]

Brand New

I have had the vehicle for only a week so I am still suffering from new car shock, and I don't know anything about the previous models.

What I like about the car:

The look. It has a snarky (I don't know what that means but when I look at the front end snarky come to mind) looking front end. It is a cool looking vehicle.

Handling. It handles very well. I like the steering and responsiveness.

Gas mileage. I think, that remains to be seen.

The room & fold up seats.

Cool looking dashboard. The Blue is very cool.

Power. It is better than I thought.

Cool looking interior.

Alloy wheels.

The sound systerm .

Timing chain (no belt).

Spare inside under the floor.

Hatchback.

What I don't like:

Hideous interior door handles.

Seats are hard

Lack of knee room between the shift console and the door handle.

Lack of interior storage.

Fold up tray.

At 2 1/2 Months 5200 Miles

Everything is about the same as my original assessment with some exceptions.

The power is nothing to write home about. Satisfactory, but thats all.
The seats don't bother me anymore.
Before I merely disliked the interior door handles, now I detest them to the point of liking to take an axe to them.
Same thought for the fold up tray and lack of interior storage.
I don't like the headlights on low beam, the built in shade is aggravating.
The headlights on highbeam are great.
The gas mileage is OK, not fabulous, but OK.
I love the transmission going up hill but not down. I still don't like it holding in a lower gear. Often I have to step on the accellerator to get it to shift up.

6 Months 9,300 Miles

I have had the Pearl now for 6 months and 1 day, 9300 miles. The current assessment:

Like:

The look...still...well sometimes.

Handling. When I have to rent a car for business trips, I can't wait to get back to the Pearl.

Gas Mileage still OK, not fabulous, but OK.

The room and fold up seats are great for a vehicle this small.

The dash board is still very cool, but I would like to have the shift lever up on the column and flop my knee where it is now.

Power is adequate just watch getting on Pennsylvania Interstates.

Alloy Wheel. Care less about them now. They are round, don't care what they look like.

The sound system is quite good, heard things in our Christmas CD's that I didn't know was in there.

Still like the spare in the floor and the hatch.

The ride don't bother me no longer.

The seats are OK.

Headlights, same comment.

The lack of knee room is still a major complaint. Get rid of the door handles and stick the shifter on the column.

The door handles. Oh how I hate thee. I no longer want to take an axe to them, I want to bazooka the damn things right off the car. I detest the door handles to the point of sheer hatred. Never have I despised a door handle like I do on the V. It is a constant source of irritation.

Same for the tray and lack of interior storage.

No heated mirrors. Why do I have to have leather to have heated mirrors? A good bit of the US has rather rotten weather this time of year, why no heated mirrors?

TPMS. Not a major irritant to me, but if it is not going to work, I would just as soon not have to pay for it or have glowing yellow lights on my dash board. I am certainly not going to buy extra sensors and fly off to the dealer to get this riduculous system "functional" again.

I am still not crazy about the grade logic control going down hills. "C'mon shift already!"

The amber turn signals in the back are too bright. You blind the poor guy behind you. I leave them off at a light and turn them on when the light turns green.

I would like to have a published maintenace schedule as well as the Maintenance Minder.

The visors are pathetic.

The center arm rests in the front are not quite pathetic, just approaching pathetic.

Goes great on ice. My driveway was a sheet of ice last night (it is very steep) and I didn't know. Almost fell down when I got out of the car. If it went into 4WD, I was not aware of it.

Alas the color, Black. I'll never get black again. The car is never clean.

The squealing air conditioner leaves a little to be desired, but really doesn't bother me that much.


Tomorrow, June 1, 2008, my CR-V will be 1 year old. It has 16,800 miles on it. I have included my previous comments (at 1 week, 2 ½ months, and 6 months) for comparison. In a attempt to out-write JMA (not quality but quantity) I offer my impressions of the CR-V after 1 year. My previous posts are in this thread, posts 18, 22, & 32.

Maintenance & Reliability

I have performed two oil changes with new oil filters, rotated the tires, changed the rear differential fluid (scheduled), and changed the air filter and pollen filter (not scheduled—I like to do that annually). I did all of the inspections in the B maintenance section. My air conditioner squeals but the rear differential has never made a noise. The air conditioner squealing is actually fairly rare and certainly not oppressive. The car has not been back to the dealer for anything. Other than the squealing air conditioner, which I am leaning toward doing nothing about, there is nothing for which I need to take the car to the dealer. The number 1 intellectual reason I bought a Honda (any Honda) was reliability. I hate returning the car to the dealer—warranty, non-warranty, any reason at all. Thus, so far so good. The air conditioner is under consideration. The difficulties that others have had with the rear differential is upsetting—but I haven’t had any problems. Grade: B

Regarding maintenance, I like how easy everything is to do. The air filter and pollen filter are extremely easy. Changing the oil, and oil filter is easy. The rear differential is not bad, other than the amount of torque on the plugs, and figuring out how to get the oil in. The transmission will be easy—it has a plug. So it is a nice vehicle for the person who wants to do their own maintenance. Grade: A (so far)

Other things I like in the maintenance category: The vehicle uses a timing chain, not a belt. The fuel pump can be accessed without dropping the fuel tank. Grade: A+

What I don’t Like In Maintenance

The need to check valve adjustments (OK only once in a blue moon—but I haven’t seen a vehicle that you needed to adjust valve lash since the early 50’s). Grade C.

The requirement to change the rear differential fluid every 15000 miles—that is ridiculous. Sorry, but I have real troubles with that. I wouldn’t go back to a Chrysler mini-van because of 17000 mile transmission fluid changes (and a lot of other things)— but for some reason it should be OK on a Honda. Well its not. When people ask about a CR-V I list that as one of my major complaints. Personally, I DIY so really it is not that bad—for me. But to recommend a vehicle that needs a fluid change that will probably rack them $100 at the dealer every 15,000 miles is just not acceptable. Grade: F.

The absolute requirement to use Honda fluids (except motor oil and washer fluid). Grade: C-

The TPMS system in total, but specifically using radio transmitters that must be ID’d when using spare wheels. The transmitter life is reported 5 years. You can’t turn off the VSA if you don’t maintain the transmitters. Yes this crap is mandated by congress, but I would like to see Honda provide a system that is as simple as possible, meets the minimum requirements and doesn’t effect other systems—instead of the monster we ended up with. Grade: F---! (Clarification: That is F minus minus minus… not F dash dash dash. I don’t talk like that! HA!)

EDIT: Got a message too long error! A reasonable person would trim down the text. I busted it up into two posts. Continued below.

[Black Pearl]

Continued from above.

Things That Are Great

Winter performance! We didn’t have a real bad winter but I drove in several bouts of freezing rain and didn’t even realize it. Some of that can be attributed to the winter tires I bought (Bridgestone Blizzaks) but much has to go to the stability of vehicle, the traction, and handling. I did not slip or slide once last winter. Pittsburgh is extremely hilly and a real PIA in the winter. There seems to be a natural proportion to the vehicle size, wheel base, weight that just lends itself to excellent stability. A+++++++

Size. The longer I have the V the more I like the size: not too big—not too small. You sit a little higher but it is not hard to get in and out. There is enough people room and cargo room. The back seat is very comfortable. The front is adequate. A big criticism for many people is the rear seats not folding flat. Doesn’t bother me. I have had it for a year and have never needed to fold them forward. As a half measure though, it would be nice to be able to pull the rear seats completely out once folded forward. The car is fairly easy to park, handles well, and just seems to be the ideal size all around for my life style. Grade: A.

Handling: The best handling vehicle that I have ever had—I guess it depends on your past vehicles. I didn’t own cars that handled well. Grade A.

Seats: At first I didn’t like the seats—too hard. Now I find them very comfortable. Grade A.

Rear Cargo Space: Is great. I like the shelf. I like the hatch door opening upward. I like the 60 40 split on the rear seats. Mentioned the rear seats folding flat above—not an issue for me. Grade A.

The spare tire inside the vehicle. Grade A+++++.

Side view mirrors offer good visibility. Grade A.

Dash board. Still think it is cool. Grade A.

The car locks without sounding the horn, but you can the sound horn if needed. The car re-locks in 30 seconds if unlocked and the door is not opened. Grade A++++

Dealer Installed Options: I like that roof racks, spoilers, fog lights are dealer installed options. I don’t want that crap, and I don’t want to have to pay for it. I know that is a sore spot for a lot of people but I figure it this way. If you want it you are going to have to pay for it regardles who installs it. If you don’t want it, you don’t have to pay for it if the dealer installs it. Grade A +.

Things That Are OK

Looks: Pretty nice one time I look at it, horrible the next. I don’t understand why I still have problems with the double grill. Grade B.

Rear visibility: Much better than I thought it would be but admittedly a bit difficult. Grade C.

Gas mileage: It could be better. Grade C.

Power: It could be better. Grade C.

The above two are sort of inversely proportional. I can’t say that either have knocked my socks off in a positive or negative direction, but then again I am not willing to sacrifice one for other. So let’s just say that both are adequate.

The headlights are not automatic. I don’t trust that kind of crap and would do something to turn them off anyhow. Grade B.

Headlights: The built in shade on low beams leaves something to be desired. The high beams are great. There is a dark area when cornering. Grade C.

Ambient Console Lighting is nice. Grade B.

No lights on the vanity mirrors. Big advantage. The last time I looked into an illuminated vanity mirror, I was frightened by what I saw. Don't care either way really, but its nice not to have to pay for something you don't care about. Grade C.

Maintenance Minder: Actually a fairly nice system. It still needs a published schedule. Grade B.

Gas Gauge: Most linear gas gauge I have seen in a car. Unfortunately the miles remaining in your tank is a pessimistic fiction when you get close. I have seen 9 miles left, when I had close to 2 gallons in the tank. Better to be overly pessimistic than optimistic, but what is wrong with the truth? Grade B (gas gauge) C- miles remaining.

The dash computer display: Nice display, but the font could stand to be a little larger. Grade B-

According to my GPS, the speedometer reads 1 1/2 to 2 mph low. Again, what is wrong with the truth? Grade C.

Things That Suck

Arm rests, visors, rear turnsignal brightness, and grade logic control--ditto the comments at 6 months. Grade D

The tray. I have lightened up a bit. It is kind of handy, but it could be just as handy with a storage compartment. Grade D+

It would be nice to have a second power outlet on the dash that is always energized. Grade C-

The Stupid drawer under the passenger seat is big enough that you can't put anything under the seat. It is too small to put anything in it. Plus it is so tacky, it feels like its going fall apart. Grade D.

Windshield & Wipers: There is no place for the water to go in moderate rain on the drivers side resulting in a 6” wide blind spot. There is inadequate drainage in the trough, and for that matter why do we need a trough that fills up with ice and snow. Proprietary wipers, left is bigger than the right. Occasionally the wipers don't park when turning the engine off. No heaters under the wipers. Grade D-.

Rear Window Washer: It starts the wiper first before the juice has been sprayed on, making several passes dry. I am afraid that it will eventually scratch the rear window, especially in our Pittsburgh crap winters. Grade D

The power windows don’t operate in the accessory position. Grade C-

Rain running off the lift gate. Grade D.

Lack of adequate storage spaces. I can play 6 CDs, but I can’t hide their covers. Storage is a bit stingy. Grade D.

The air conditioner is wimpy. Grade C-.

The heater is wimpy until you have run the car for about 1/2 hour. I leave the heater control on minimum until the temp gauge shows normal but there is still not much heat. Once the car has run for 30 minutes or more at highway speed, the heater works great. Grade C- then B.

Can't run the defrosters with out the air conditioning compressor running. If I need the additional dehumidification, I am smart enough to push the A/C button. I don't want it on other wise. Grade D.

Lack of options: Why can’t I get dark windows, a shelf, security system, and nav in a LX. I got a whole bunch of junk in the EX that I don’t care about. I would like to see more options on the models. Make the LX available with options and load up the EX with fog lights and roof racks etc. Grade D.

Actually there needs to be the LX-C. Curmudgeon’s model. Choose the stuff you want, get nothing you don’t want.


Things That Put Me In To A Murderous Rage!

The CR-V has been odd in one aspect. Never have I owned a car that has as many features that I completely hate to the bottom of my heart. Hate to the degree that I could personally sign the warrant for the responsible engineer’s condemnation to eternal damnation in hell only after first being digested for 10,000 years (while still alive) in the scarlock pit.

No heated mirrors: Yeah I have owned a lot of cars without heated mirrors. But I owned one that did have them (my last car the Plain Jane Plymouth Minivan) and I like them. I find it especially galling that I paid $2 grand extra because basically I wanted dark windows, better intermittent wipers, a security system, and a piddly ass shelf and I didn’t get heated mirrors. I did get a 6 CD changer, moon roof, fancy wheels, fancy fabric and tacky ass chrome doo dads that I could care less about but not heated mirrors. They are standard in Canada. They are available on a EX-L, but not on the US EX or LX. Every time I look in a frosty mirror, I would like to put my fist through that stupid moon roof. Grade F---! (Sorry but they are dashes this time.)

Shifter In The Middle of the Dash: Is there any reason why the front passenger needs to operate the shift lever? It is just as convenient for them as it is for the driver. The damn car is an automatic, you can’t buy a stick. So why in the hell is the frigging shift lever stuck down where I want to put my right knee? Oh it is so cool! Well cool wears out in less than hour, comfort never does. I have yet to run into a situation in life where I got tired of being comfortable. But cool wears out rather rapidly. Put the damned lever up on the steering column where it belongs (a great advance in the late 1930’s—it was considered luxurious even) and get rid of that hump in the dash board, and let me flop my knee over there. Grade F--- (Again dashes)

Interior Door Handles. Gargantuan and ridiculous. Big enough they probably adversely affect the gas mileage. Move all the buttons up. Get rid of the idiot door handles and let me put my left knee over in that space. I am a great sprawler. I like lots of knee space. Grade F------ (double dashes for sheer uselessness of them. They are not even cool. A hideous caricature of a proper door hand befitting an H-1 hummer or Escalade with no rational reason for being in a practical car like a CR-V.)

Actually you could move the wiper trough filling up with snow and ice in this category as well. I haven't seen a bad winter yet. My guess is that trough is going to be troublesome. Grade F.


Overall: Grade B.

I really like this car, a lot. If it wasn’t for the items in the murderous rage category, it would get an A. Take out the things that suck it would get an A+.

[Badgerland]

Things That Put Me In To A Murderous Rage!

The CR-V has been odd in one aspect. Never have I owned a car that has as many features that I completely hate to the bottom of my heart. Hate to the degree that I could personally sign the warrant for the responsible engineer’s condemnation to eternal damnation in hell only after first being digested for 10,000 years (while still alive) in the scarlock pit.



Just what are you trying to say here...there are things you DON'T like....:eek::):):)

[naturehut]

I have a 1st generation CRV. This is the best car I have ever owned. I LOVE IT! I love the looks. To me, the body style is designed perfectly. When they changed the body in 2002, it broke my heart. The headlights bulge out too much. It looks too long (vertically) in the back. It almost looks like a mini van from the side. I think the CRV looks less and less like a CRV with each generation. It was the 1st generation that I fell in love with. It's hard to find anything I don't like about the 2001 CRV I have. Maybe the grade logic control. Going up the slightest incline, the transmission doesn't shift out of 2nd gear for a long time. Around here you are constantly going up or down an incline. I wish more vehicles could have the looks of the CRV. By the way, I don't like the front of the 3rd generation. What's with that space under the front of the hood? It almost looks like the hood is partially up or it's two cars on top of each other.

[JMA]

Brand New
Tomorrow, June 1, 2008, my CR-V will be 1 year old. It has 16,800 miles on it. I have included my previous comments (at 1 week, 2 ½ months, and 6 months) for comparison. In a attempt to out-write JMA (not quality but quantity) I offer my impressions of the CR-V after 1 year. My previous posts are in this thread, posts 18, 22, & 32.
---snip----
EDIT: Got a message too long error! A reasonable person would trim down the text. I busted it up into two posts. Continued below.

Happy First Birthday, Black Pearl! And congratulations! You encountered the maximum posting length before I! Impressive!

I must say that I was taken by surprise by your love/hate relationship with some of the attributes of your V. For some reason, I assumed you loved every aspect of it, which made me feel like somewhat of a traitor whenever I posted a "disklike". And to forsake your name (at 6 months) by saying you would never buy another black vehicle....I'm sure the heavens trembled at that remark!

I do like your idea of posting likes/dislikes at intervals...it certainly helps separate the major irritations from the minor. BTW, what's that folding shelf you don't like? At first I thought you meant the one in the cargo area, but you mention later that you like that one. Maybe it's something you have (like that drawer under the passenger seat) that I don't.

I agree with you that the option packaging is weird. I'm sure it's because the fewer packages and options, the cheaper it is for Honda produce them in massive quantities...and the more likely they are to get people (like me) to buy the whole enchilada. I miss the days when I could order a car and it would be built to my exact specifications...right down to whether or not I wanted carpet! (Am I dating myself here?)

I'm sorry that the shift selector is in the way for you big dudes. I guess there are some advantages to being short. The final deciding factor for me when choosing between the V, RAV4 and Rogue was that the CR-V seemed to fit me like a glove. Today, I asked my 6'4'' husband if his knees hit against anything when he drives my car, and he said he hasn't had a chance to drive it enough to know! Oops! :o I guess I could let him fill it up with gas more often! :D

Are you SURE you won't grow to love those door handles, Black Pearl? ;) What color is your interior? If you have the ivory cloth, they stand out even more hideously than against the black. I was never fond of them either, but don't even notice them now. (My interior is gray, so they blend in pretty well.)

I agree with the comments about the V taking too long to shift out of low gear, and I'm surprised it's programmed that way. Seems like Honda would have wanted it to shift out of the lower gears ASAP to maxmimize gas mileage...but, then again, that probably would have made it more sluggish.

OK...I've written about all I can think of and still don't think I've hit the message size limit, so you retain the verbosity crown, Black Pearl! Thanks for sharing your comments. The maintenance info is especially helpful for those of us who are wondering what to expect down the road. I do hope you will get that squeal fixed (I believe there is a service bulletin on that) before it affects your hearing...or you are chased by a pack of dogs!

Be sure to to share photos of your 1-year-old's birthday party!

[Black Pearl]

Dame Black Pearl & I took the Pearl out for a birthday spin. Put 118 miles on it. I managed to get PO'd at the new GPS, I knew where the hell we were going, the old GPS knew where we going, but new one didn't. Oh well.

Yeah the black has turned into a bit of PIA. With all the pollen this year the damn car won't stay clean for 5 minutes. Right now it is filthy so no birthday pix.

We LX and EX owner are graced with two items that you leather owner do not get to enjoy. First is the folding tray between the front seats instead of a storage console. It folds down so that mother's can get to the back of the car to aid their children. I didn't make that up. I read that in a review. The CR-V is not a chick car. It is a mother's car. Hence the fold down tray (leather owners must not become mothers), the wide angle mirror, and the wide open doors in the back. Well the fold down tray is somewhat useless. You can put stuff under it, but often you can't reach it unless you fold down the tray, but you can't fold down the tray because there is stuff under it.

Second is the tacky little junky drawer under the passenger seat. The leather has some kind of stereo amp or something under there, so you don't get the drawer. If they left the drawer out, you might be able to get something under the seat. But the structure of the drawer takes all the room under the seat but the damn drawer is too small to put any thing in.

My interior is black. Rather nice I like it. But as much as I try to forget the door handles, I can't because my knee is always up against it.

Oh don't be so quick the relinquish the verbosity award. Don't forget I quoted 3 posts.

[Bonswa93]

2008 EX-L with nav. One month into ownership and we love everything about it except the mileage. We drove from Tallahassee to Atlanta last weekend and I milked it for all it was worth and could only get 23.5 mpg. My main ride is a 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si - a truly high-performance sports car - and I get 32.8 mpg on the highway consistently. Go figure. My only guess is that the little 4-banger just has to work too hard to move all that metal and air. However, I can't complain too much; we knew the mileage estimates going in.

[Black Pearl]

2008 EX-L with nav. One month into ownership and we love everything about it except the mileage. We drove from Tallahassee to Atlanta last weekend and I milked it for all it was worth and could only get 23.5 mpg. My main ride is a 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si - a truly high-performance sports car - and I get 32.8 mpg on the highway consistently. Go figure. My only guess is that the little 4-banger just has to work too hard to move all that metal and air. However, I can't complain too much; we knew the mileage estimates going in.

If you were driving interstates and keeping it 70 or below, no flooring it to pass etc, you should have been getting better mileage even with the break in. The new V's routinely push 28 to 30 on the highway if you baby it. You may want to try a different brand of fuel. I get 2 MPG less on fuels heavy with ethanol.

[AmyEXL]

I, too, have a 2008 EX-L with Nav, but mine is getting 28 MPG on the highway w/o any conscious effort on my part to keep efficiency high. Furthermore, my V only has about 400 miles on it; I expect the mileage to increase as I break the V in.

Consider your gas choice, getting a new air filter, and/or checking the oil - any of these might be contributing to your low mileage. It's also possible that yours is "breaking in" at a comparatively slower rate. My mileage has been low in the city (I live in Washington D.C.), but that's because I am an aggressive and impatient city-dweller who accelerates frequently, passes confused suburban drivers, etc. If I tried to be more efficient with my consumption, I'm sure the mileage would be better. Assuming this isn't the cause of your low highway mileage (since you said you "milked it for all it was worth"), I would consider one of the above recommendations. If you're still not getting what you think you should be getting, bring it to your dealer and talk to them about it.

Good luck!

2008 EX-L with nav. One month into ownership and we love everything about it except the mileage. We drove from Tallahassee to Atlanta last weekend and I milked it for all it was worth and could only get 23.5 mpg. My main ride is a 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si - a truly high-performance sports car - and I get 32.8 mpg on the highway consistently. Go figure. My only guess is that the little 4-banger just has to work too hard to move all that metal and air. However, I can't complain too much; we knew the mileage estimates going in.

[JMA]

Yeah the black has turned into a bit of PIA. With all the pollen this year the damn car won't stay clean for 5 minutes. Right now it is filthy so no birthday pix.

The CR-V is not a chick car. It is a mother's car. Hence the fold down tray (leather owners must not become mothers).

Wow...I had no idea! I'm surprised they didn't have me sign something to that effect. :eek:

Regarding your dusty black V...my Red Tango is nowhere near as easy to keep looking spiffy as my silver Sable used to be, so I feel your pain. Well, actually my husband feels your pain because detailing the cars is his favorite hobby, so mine is magically beautified every week! (I think it's been waxed 4 times in less than 2 months!) Anyway, he's got two dark blue cars, and the dust on those also drives him crazy. So, what he uses in between washings to get the dust (not dirt!) off is one of those dust mop types of things on a handle...one brand is called the California Car Duster:

California Car Duster with Plastic Handle - Car Duster - CaliforniaCarDusters.com (http://www.californiacardusters.com/standardcarduster.html)

It's impregnated with some kind of oil that helps lift the dust/pollen off, and you just lightly run the mop's yarn over the car. It's not perfect, but it's a quick way to spiff it up a little. I guess I should have posted this in the Wax On/Wax Off Forum, but wasn't sure you'd notice it. (No, I'm not part-owner of the duster company, and I don't get a commission!)

[Black Pearl]

How about I just bring my car to Dayton and let your husband detail it for me? I haven't waxed my car 4 times in one year. Actually the dealer put some kind of crap on it that is finally wearing off, so when I get up a good head of steam I am going to clay bar, polish, and wax it with some kind of Meguiers wonder rot. I got tired just researching this crap. As you can see my enthusiasm for the task is somewhat underwhelming. I have never been big on detailing cars.

I have to check out the duster, thanks.

Oh the new GPS (from yesterday's birthday ride) is far smarter than I realized. It is smarter than I am. I just have to figure out how to use it.

[illegal]

just got the v, it's ok, not the best honda I've ever owned, but nice. Supposed to have been the fastest crv in the country before I got my hands on it. (sold the old set up before I sold my car :mad: )

Currently making it better though! I just wanted the awd manual for the beach, and I needed another 4 door for the baby. He could never have ridden in my old car.

[JMA]

How about I just bring my car to Dayton and let your husband detail it for me? I haven't waxed my car 4 times in one year. Actually the dealer put some kind of crap on it that is finally wearing off, so when I get up a good head of steam I am going to clay bar, polish, and wax it with some kind of Meguiers wonder rot. I got tired just researching this crap. As you can see my enthusiasm for the task is somewhat underwhelming. I have never been big on detailing cars.

I have to check out the duster, thanks.

Oh the new GPS (from yesterday's birthday ride) is far smarter than I realized. It is smarter than I am. I just have to figure out how to use it.

Get in line! I've already got a couple of friends hoping he'll work on theirs. Problem is, he has all he can do keeping our own cars as pristine as he likes them. BTW, I think he currently uses Turtle Wax ICE to polish them. Says it doesn't last as long as some of the waxes he used to use, but it goes on quickly and easily. So...I guess that may pose a dilemma for someone who would rather be doing just about anything other than waxing a car...do you use something that's not as easy to use, but lasts longer, or one that goes on quicker, but has to be reapplied more often? Also, you and others have mentioned using a clay bar, and we've NEVER used one, so I had to research what that's all about. Are you sure you want to put yourself through that process?

The Facts About Using Clay Bar : Exterior Car Care (http://news.carjunky.com/exterior_car_care/the-facts-about-using-a-clay-bar-cde140.shtml)

There I go again, talking about things that belong on the Wax On/Wax Off forum. Sorry about that!

What kind of GPS did you get? Do you get real-time traffic/road updates?

[Black Pearl]

I never heard of a clay bar until I joined this club, and no I am sure I don't want bothered with it. But, I have a bunch of crud on the paint and the clay bar is supposed to clean well and damage the paint the least. I'll probably do half the hood and say to hell with this.

My old GPS is a Garmin 76S. Good all around GPS, but not a great car model. The new one is a Garmin nuvi 5000 with optional MSN Traffic. It is a great car navigator and absolutely useless as an all around GPS. The only real thing that the 5000 has over the rest of the nuvi line is screen size and definition. It actually has less features that the 700 series nuvis. I am not impressed with the MSN Traffic. Pittsburgh is very hilly and the FM reception for MSN is pretty lousy. By the time I realize there is a traffic problem, I can see it out of the windshield, don't need the MSN to tell me then. I doubt that I will renew it. The MSN features gas prices, movie times, local events, weather, and the ability to receive waypoints transmitted from MSN live maps. Most of the the time I have a message that the data is not available and will take several hours to download. (Why several hours is beyond me). I guess I could park my car in downtown Pittsburgh, or where ever the damn reception comes in. Leave the MSN plugged in with the key in the ignition and take a bus somewhere, come back in several hours and (if my car is still there) see what the weather, gas prices, movie times, cultural events, and traffic reports. Or what I could do is just not bother renewing it 18 months from now. Somehow the latter seems easier. I think sometime in the future, real time traffic and weather will be amazing, but from my experince that time is not now. It is klunky to the point of being almost useless in my opinion. But then Pittsburgh is a hilly place.

[Joe D]

I have a Gen 1 CR-V, 2001 SE, Bugflector, leather interior and roof rack. Though not my first Honda (2004 Accord before this) it is my first SUV. It's been a wonderfully versatile vehicle. I am the second owner, and I got it with 33k miles on it. It's now about 115k miles and running strong. No major mechanical issues except for the A/C pump seizing earlier this year, which was really odd. I've never heard of that happening with ANY vehicle before. The pump literally seized while I was driving down the road with the A/C on, and the force of the rotation and all ripped the pulley right off! I felt/heard something hit the underside of the vehicle, like I'd run over something, and then the A/C started warming up. Go figure huh? hehe

Dislikes of my CRV:
1. No Sunroof! (Apparently there are factory sunroof Gen 1's out there, but rare) My Accord had a sunroof, and I really miss it...

2. Automatic Trans (Apparently Manual trans Gen 1's are out there, but also rare. I have grown accustomed to my auto though, and respect it as a good worker.) My Accord had a 5spd, and I really miss being totally in control of my vehicle's power. I really hunted for a Manual CRV, but they just weren't around...

3. Power & Fuel Economy- it could stand to be a bit more powerful, and get a little better fuel economy too. I think BOTH things have been addressed in the Gen 2's & 3's, so Honda is listening to us...hehe

4. Leather Interior-This is my first vehicle to ever have leather interior. I'd heard pros and cons about it for years, and was curious to experience it myself. I can honestly say that it's sort of neutral for me, not terrible, but not some big WOW favorite either. My sister has a 2000 EX with the cloth interior, and I find that hers feels more comfortable to ride in. Plus it cost less! hehe And the extras you get with the SE package, beyond the leather interior, are just the hardcover for the spare tire, the fancier stereo (which I've replaced anyway), factory tinted glass (My sisters is after-market limo and I LIKE it better too!) and the color-keyed bumpers. So I'd really debate buying another SE as well. The verdict is, next vehicle will only be leather if they BEG me to take it...hehe

5. No Passenger Seat Armrest- For some reason, I guess it's the leather package for some reason, the front passenger seat has no inboard armrest. My sister's cloth interior EX does, so again, I'm guessing it's some odd aspect of the leather package.

6. Between Seat Tray- I agree with some previous postings, I really don't see the sense in this flip down tray thing. Its not like it needs to flip out of the way so people can walk between the seats, as in a large RV or van conversion or something. I think a nice console would be WAY better here.

7. Cupholders- Though there are a lot of cupholders, they all seem to be pretty much designed for soda cans only, nothing too tall or big around is welcome. My 2004 Accord had AMAZING cupholders that actually gripped whatever was in them, so fallover spills were non-existent. I would imagine the Gen 2's & 3's have better ones, right?

Likes About My CRV:
1. Its versatility! It's a car, its a truck, its an off-road vehicle! I hauled my new (to me) washer and dryer home in it, and it tows my little travel trailer on many a vacation trip all over California, how can you go wrong with a vehicle that can do that?

2. Its comfortable to ride in. I'm a big guy (6'even, around 300lbs) so comfort is VERY important for me. Plus many of my friends are big guys like me too. I've driven 4 of us to LA (3hr+ drive) with no complaints of comfort.

3. TONS of room! I LOVE to camp, and have found that I can really pack stuff into my CRV. The many hideyholes are wondeful for stowing things you want to have with you, but don't want rattling around on the floorboard under your feet. The roof rack is pretty handy for extra luggage too. I have one of those nylon backbacks that goes up there, and it makes using the rack pretty easy. Plus it crushes down and fits in the cargo space below the load floor nicely.

4. The TABLE!- I have used the little built in table SO MANY TIMES! I can't BELIEVE they didn't include it in the Gen 3's! Such a shame!

There are a few add-ons/customizations I've done to my CRV since I got it:
1. Bugflector- I think this is a simple add-on, and overall a subtle improvement to the look. Does it really deflect bugs & rocks? Well, my windshield still gets bugs on it, and it got a stone chip this year. So maybe it helps cut that happening down some? Who knows...hehe

2. New Alarm, Stereo, and Keyless Entry-After it got broken into in my crappy neighborhood, it seemed that a real alarm was in order versus the factory keyless entry and the dummy LED on the dash...hehe I also added a new stereo with IPod capability and Sirius satellite radio.

3. Exterior Thermometer- I have a thing about knowing the temperature, its sort of a minor OCD thing for me. So I got one of those cheapy add on thermometers at WalMart. It's not much to look at, but it does the job.

4. Tow Hitch- Since it's tow capability was part of why I bought my CRV, and I wanted to get a trailer for it, the hitch had to come. I bought the Curtis unit since it's the beefiest thing out there that fits. I didn't like the wimpy look of the Class 1 setups, plus with the Class 2 I can use the Class 3 style receivers, so if I don't have mine it's pretty easy to borrow. The Class 1 receivers are unusual and rare. I installed it myself over a weekend, it was not extremely difficult, but you do have to be somewhat mechanical, and FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! hehe I also installed the wiring harness and plug myself, also not too complicated to do.

I would like to add a few other things in the future. I particularly like the look of the rear hatch spoiler that some people have with the integral 3rd stoplight. I also like the look of some of the front brushguards. They're a nice place to mount foglights too. I know I'm going to have my CRV for at least a few more years, so I'm sure a few of these projects will happen before it gets passed on to someone new...

Overall its a great rig. Of course it's most attractive feature at the moment? ITS PAID FOR! hehe

[GTCB-chris]

first gen, all the way

love the weight, its kind of quick, i guess.

hate the lack of power and the four wheel drive system

[Green Tea V]

3rd gen V, 2008 EX AWD

What I like:
I feel like this car's interior was designed for the daily driver. It's comfortable, easy on the eye, and everything from the buttons to the storage compartments are all convenient. It gets relatively good gas milage for an AWD vehicle. It's reliable. Insurance is cheap for this vehicle as well. You get a lot of bang for the buck with the CRV.

What I dislike:
8 months after owning it, I am hearing sounds coming from the front right, possibly from the axle or tire area. Also, I occassionally hear a rattle coming from the passenger side front window area at speeds of 40mph and over. Also, although the mpg is good, for a small 4 cylinder engine, I think I should be getting better mpg than the average of 21.5 highway/city mixed. And last, the power; it has none. It is sufficient, but 166hp is a bit of a joke.

[sleeksilver]

I have a G2 and I love everything about it.

[Jim_KT]

Gen. 1

Likes: Reliable, spacious, and relatively low TOC (total cost of ownership).

Dislikes: Lack of low-end torque and mid-range power.

Despite the power issue, this vehicle has served us and more importantly, her, well. It has always started when cranked and delivered us from Point A to B. Next August will be the 10 year anniversary for my wife and her CR-V. It's been a good, reliable companion for her. My Civic, on the other hand, is a different story... The Civic will be re-vamped after the new year since I just paid off my Subie.

[jekylljocky]

I have a Gen 3.

[Black Pearl]

Welcome and tell us what you like and dislike about your gen 3!

[electric V]

Wow I never out my $0.02 worth of intel on this thred.

Gen 1.

Definatly the most rugged looking of all Vs. I like all aspects of it and have no dislikes. Although if I put The duel rotary out of my fathers RX-8 into my V with the six speed manual (or the S2000 2.4 liter and six speed) then it would be a dream machine.

Overall I think that the stereo is okay I have heard worse stock systems in newer cars, the power is modest but it still runs quick, The interior could use a better design. But with definate rugged looks and it was the biggest cute-ute for its time. I love this car

[nautica2o3]

I guess our CRV would be a Gen 3. We've had the car for 7 days and the wife loves it. It's her car so I ride shotgun everytime. My only quirk with it is the front seat headrest, it is too intrusive. I've never had this experience with other cars before. Every little bump on the road results in the back of my head getting jabbed by the headrest. I can lean the seat back and put my head down to avoid getting bumped, but that gets uncomfortable. I must have a huge caveman head because she doesn't seem to have this problem in the driver's seat.

[jekylljocky]

I have a Gen 3.

I replaced my 91' GMC S15 Jimmy with 364k miles on it and I needed something reliable with room for my bike stuff. Decent mpg is also good. I relied on Consumer Reports to help narrow down the choice. This my first Honda car. So far....I love the V.

[97crvfan]

Likes:

Adequate acceleration. Sure it's not as quick as a V6 but it's good enough and gets decent MPG. When compared to cars a decade older, the 0-60 time is actually quite good.
Very good visibility, easy to park (nearly the same footprint as a Civic), handles well.
Flexible configuration: split rear seats or fold-flat mode, large cargo area, good storage under rear floor.
Plastic surfaces and seat fabric are very durable.
Honda service repair manual is excellent and the car is relatively easy to work on.


Dislikes:

Rear hatch glass/door configuration - if someone unfamiliar with the 1st gen CRV closes the glass before the door, they could shatter the window, dumb design.
Power window switch location - no backlight and buried down by my left knee, hard to find the right switch at night. I wish it were on the door's armrest.
Oil dipstick, the tube is buried well inside of the exhaust heatshield making it nearly impossible to put the stick back in lowlight conditions.
The rear door aperture is about 47 inches wide which makes it an awkward fit for 48-inch wide lumber goods
Seats are a little too firm, not very comfortable for long trips.
Oil filter is difficult to reach and a messy job to replace (same problem on every Civic and Accord I have ever owned). A remote oil filter would have been nice.


Like many car models, the CRV has added bells and whistles over the years. The 2009's 2.4L engine delivers 166hp, 46 more than the 2.0L in the 1997, and with better fuel economy as well. The interior creature comforts are much improved over the original design. They have also managed to make it look like a BMW X3 but without the unreliability of "fine German engineering".

Even though I've put about $1000 worth of repair parts into it in the last year (starter, radiator, radiator fan motor, power window&regulator), it has never let me down. Good, cheap, reliable transportation - it's a keeper.

[Black Pearl]

Rear hatch glass/door configuration - if someone unfamiliar with the 1st gen CRV closes the glass before the door, they could shatter the window, dumb design.



One learns something everyday (sometimes whether they want to or not). From your post I learned two things:


The rear window. I am not familiar with Gen 1s, but kicking around here for a year and a half one would think that I would have seen this complaint before. Interesting!

One can make numbered lists and bulleted lists! I have over 1800 posts and I never noticed the list and bullet icons up in the tool bar! I am getting old and lazy and my lack of curiosity is truly amazing!


EDIT:


It works!

Cool!

Thanks!


EDIT 2: Its kindy klunky during editing. You have to manually insert or fix the codes.

[Energy One]

Likes:
Responsive and easy to manuver.
Good in the snow.
Good heater that warms up fast.

Dislikes:
No auto on/off headlights.
Huge interior door handles.
Small armrests.
No place to put garage door opener except cubby holes.

[jekylljocky]

I replaced my 91' GMC S15 Jimmy with 364k miles on it and I needed something reliable with room for my bike stuff. Decent mpg is also good. I relied on Consumer Reports to help narrow down the choice. This my first Honda car. So far....I love the V.

After 7 months and 13,000 miles...still LOVE myV!

[easuter]

I have a red '05 CR-V EX AWD. I like its ride, smooth engine and transmission, solid reliability, and AWD in slippery conditions. The 5-CD changer is nice for long trips. I dislike that I've had to change the driver's side headlight about 4 times already. It's tough to get it in there without touching anything else; I've put it on with rubber gloves, but it still becomes a padiddle about once a year. It also makes quite a bit of road noise. I wish it had sportier handling - our other car is a Honda Fit, which is a very dexterous dance partner. :)

[howdy]

I've been fortunate to have experienced all three generations.

My '99 EX 4WD - Overall this was a solid vehicle. Materials, build, everything was top notch, IMO. Only thing I disliked was the weak motor. If this had the 2.4 liter engine, I may not have ever gotten rid of it.

My '02 LX 2WD - I liked the rear door and overall looks of this generation. Nice improvements to the interior and beefier engine. Yeah! Only dislike was the first-year-itus of this model. Too much wind and road noise. But not bad overall.

My '09 EX 2WD - No doubt is the most refined 'V I've ever driven. Really like the interior fit and finish. Ride is smoothest of the three. Quietest of the three. Again feels sturdy and agile. I miss the rear door but I've grown to like the hatch. Doesn't seem to have as many storage pockets as previous generations. Overall, no regrets, though. :)

[byalegend]

My CR-V is a gen 1.

Here are some things I like about the Gen 1:

- Easy to drive: My wife drives the V, and I bought it for her about 6 years ago when she was first learning to drive. I thought it would be a perfect vehicle for her to drive and use for grocery shopping.

- Simple vehicle: There aren't alot of gadgets that can go wrong, and it's pretty simple to fix things that do go wrong.

- Interior space: It had a lot more space than any other small SUV we checked out.

The only dislike I have about the Gen 1 CR-V is the lack of power. I wish it had about 30 more horsepower.

[westham]

2009 Gen 3.
I like the vehicle........it's my wife's car, I do wish it had a little more power or a diesel option here in the USA.

[Radar24]

I find my '08 with under 7k miles almost perfect in design. It could use a little better MPG around town. Highway it is pretty good close to 28 MPG if you are extra easy on it.

My only concern is the tire wear, the frequent rear diff fluid changes and the less than perfect clear/color coat application.

I found initially no manufacturing defects otherwise when I took delivery at about 10 miles. The first problem has surfaced; right now the drivers seat position adjustment 'ratchet' is making a racket when adjusting from max up front to the max rear position. Noise = wear so it is a concern I will have to bring up to the dealer. My concern is that the adjustment will wear out in time. Fortunately it does not get adjusted that often.

Every thing else is honky-dory!

-Rg

[flymunkay]

Got my first V in Dec 06 to replace my 99 Accord which was wrapped around me in a head-on collision on 11/28/06. I was disabled and unable to even drive it until March 07 we bought it to haul me and my crutches and mobility devices around to Dr.appts. Back in action and able to drive and even walk! Have 23,000 miles so far- Love it dearly and in the winter I use Michelin Latitude X-Ice tires. I live far up on the side of a mountain with hairpin turns and steep hills to go up and come down. X-Ice Tires have been great so far-anyone else use these tires? Have had differential fluid replaced at 19,000 miles because of the usual noise and they charged me over $60.00 should that have been covered???My son has a 2000 CR-V LX just had the fluid replaced today with 15,000 miles on a new engine because of the same noise! What gives,have read the forums on the differential issues so do we need to make them replace on the 07 V?Thanks for any hints

[Black Pearl]

There is a TSB for changing the rear differential fluid on the 07. Note that is for replacing the fluid not the rear differential.

http://www.in.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/A07-024.PDF

There was an earlier TSB 07-021 for changing out the differential. This was limited to a fairly small range of VIN numbers from Japan. The clutch plate material was defective. The symptoms for that TSB showed up within the first few thousand miles. That TSB has been deleted and defers to 07-024.

I understand your frustration on having to pay. Here is my take on it. The Maintenance Minder calls for a rear differential fluid change somewhere between 15,000 to 20,000 miles with the 6 subcode. In my estimation, if you have been using the Maintenance Minder, as you are supposed to, and it has not yet displayed the 6 sub code and you got the noise, then TSB 07-024 should be performed for free. If you had less than 15K on your car, I would scream bloody murder. But you have 19K, so it makes the situation a bit dicey. My maintenance minder displayed the 6 subcode at 14,800 miles on my second oil change. I changed the fluid myself, but had I taken it to the dealer, yes, they would have charged me for the fluid change.

There is no doubt that the rear differential / fluid situation in the CR-V is poor. The only thing I can say is that if you change it regularly around 15K, you "should" be able to avoid the noise. I did mine at 15 K and 32K although I did not get the 6 subcode at 32K, but I figured why push my luck. So far I have never had a noise.

You can go back and question the dealer on it referring to the TSB, but I think you are going to hear a song and a dance about not paying attention to the sub-codes, or a song and a dance about how it was time for it to be changed anyhow. I can almost guarantee you that it will be a hard sell. But most assurredly if you say nothing, you are not going to get you money back. If you are shooting for a new differential...well, good luck on that one!

BTW, Welcome to the club, and good luck with your differential.

[Radar24]

Hey BP,
Good to see ya setting us straight again!

I had a hunch you just might visit at least once in a while.

Keeping it shorter and sweeter than usual -WELCOME BACK!

-Rg

[Black Pearl]

Thanks for the welcome back, Radar. Verizon finally got the DSL working, but it hasn't rained much lately. So we will see. I have a lot of books to read though!

[ponti_33609]

We just bought a mint Gen 2 with 27K on the clock. My wife had a Gen 1 that she loved but we gave that to our daughter in school. First used car we bought. She didn't like the new ones primarily:

1. Quality of the leather seats in comparison to the Gen 2 SE
2. Hatch window no longer opens
3. Dislikes the center console of the Gen 3's and prefers the "drop-tray"

She puts about 4K a year on her car (works from home) so we opted for the model she liked. In fact, she said if they still made new Gen 1 she would have bought another one.

Bob

[darik]

My '09 EX-L with Navi bought new in July now has 8.5k on it.

Likes: low maintenance( rotated tires at 5,170 miles and did oil change
at 7,600miles - MM - oil life @ 15%.
heated mirrors, backup camera, navigation,XM radio, and leather seats.

Dislikes: ride,much bumpier than I expected. Tire noise(Continentals-OEM)

[zoneout]

'07 Taffeta White EX. Japan build.

Love everything about the V except:

- Small impacts at low speed have my head nearly going thru the roof.
- The sun visors are an absolute joke. Look like they were taken from a kiddie car. The visors on my '02 Accord have the extension flaps so you can block the sun coming thru the entire side window. With the V the visor only covers half the side window - have to sit there with my hand up blocking the side glare. I just dont get it. I gladly would have shelled out an extra 10 bucks or whatever a decent visor would have cost Honda to include.