Chapter 1 - What led to the CRV

Before I tell you about my CRV, let me tell you a bit about what led to its purchase.

The car I previously owned is a 2009 Acura CSX. It's a version very similar to the Honda Civic SI, but only available in Canada.

I had it for 3 years and loved it. I made several modifications to it; coilovers, audio system, lips, spoiler, air intake, exhaust, etc. etc.. For me, it was one of my most exciting automotive project. However, after 3 years, I'd come to the end of what I wanted to achieve with this car and wanted to change it for something a little more practical.

I needed a more suitable vehicle to transport my 2 boys and to face the harsh Quebec winters.

 

Looks great in Black with Black wheels.

 

Chapter 2 – The treasure hunt

I sold my Acura CSX in April 2023. That's when I started exploring my options for a replacement car. I hesitated between the 2009-2012 Forester XT, the 2006-2012 RAV4 and the 2002-2006 CRV. In the end, I chose the CRV GEN 2 because of my love of the Honda brand, its reliability, its looks and the general fun that this car exudes.

So I began a VERY active search. For several weeks, even months, I became completely addicted to Marketplace. I checked the classified ads at least 50 times a day, every day.

Before I found the right one, I went to see 7 other CRVs. They were all either too rusty, too expensive, poorly maintained or sometimes a combination of all 3. Here in Quebec, winters are harsh and a lot of calcium is spread out on the road. This causes considerable damage to our vehicles.

It was finally in mid-June that I found the rare pearl. When I contacted the seller, the ad had been online for barely 3 minutes... that's how determined I was in my search.

It was a 2006 CRV, AWD, 5MT, black (my favorite color) with only 152,000km (about 94,500 miles). The best part was that it had only had one owner. A lady in her sixties who always maintained it impeccably.

I contacted the person on the phone, and after a good discussion I transferred a deposit to her so that she could keep the vehicle for me. It was the next day, June 18, Father's Day, that I drove down 2 hours from home with my father to see the CRV.

The pictures of the truck in the ad when I found it:

 

Chapter 3 – Bring it home

After a 2-hour drive, I arrived on site to see the truck. At first sight it was in very good condition, but I wasn't so quick to let myself be charmed. I made sure to do a good, long inspection. I found a few things that didn't worry me too much:

• The driver's door had damage the size of a baseball and was starting to rust.
• There was a hole in the floor under the driver's seat.
• There was a strong vibration between 25 and 40km/h when accelerating.

Apart from that, the vehicle was in excellent condition, mechanically, aesthetically and inside. The transmission was very smooth and the engine ran really well. The owner was very kind and assured me that she had no problems with the truck other than what I found.

I therefore concluded a transaction with the seller and took the vehicle home.

 

Chapter 4 - Without wasting time

3 days after taking possession of the CRV I went to see a friend who had a nice present for me: a Thule Frontier roof box. To my pleasant surprise, I found that it fitted well with the size of the truck. So I installed it without further hesitation.

With 2 young boys and regular expeditions to the cottage, it's much-appreciated extra space.

 

Very nice thread! I wish I could find a second generation in as good condition as yours!

 

Thanks alot!

They are hard to find and very wanted, at least here in Quebec.

During the 12h of time between the moment I spoke on the phone with the seller and the moment I went to see the truck, several people contacted the seller and tried to outbid me. Fortunately, I made a deposit and the seller was loyal.

 

Chapter 5 – I love wheels

I love wheels. I often buy them, sometimes to resell, sometimes to restore and resell, sometimes to use on my vehicle.

5 days after buying the CRV I got my hands on a set of wheels that I really like. These are original 1999-2004 Honda Odyssey wheels. The specs are identical to those on the CRV (16x6.5, +50). They've been painted gloss black, perfect for the black-on-black look I want to achieve with the truck. I bought a set of lock nuts to go with them and had them installed.

 

Chapter 6 – A tiny bit of yellow

Since I had some leftover yellow film at home, I decided to give my fog lights a makeover. To complete the look, I upgraded the bulbs with a pair from a brand I really like, some Hella Xtreme Yellow.

Hella Xtreme Yellow on Amazon

(Affiliate link)

I like the natural yellow color they produce, unlike LED lights which often give a fluorescent yellow result.

 

Looks nice !

Tutuapp 9Apps​

 

Looks nice !

Thanks for the comment. I appreciate any form of feedback, it encourages me to continue the thread without feeling like I'm only talking to myself... lol!

For all the other viewers, feel free to comment, suggest, ask questions or just say hello.

 

Chapter 7 – Tint

One of the first upgrades I did on the truck was to have the windows tinted. I went to a professional place that I know has a good reputation in my area.

In the words of the guy who did my truck, the rear window is one of the most difficult he's had to do. Its layout, shape and accessories (cylinders and cables) make it a challenge to tint.

I decided to go with a level of 20% back and 70% front to be legal(ish) here in Quebec, in addition to adding a strip in the windshield.

 

Chapter 8 - The failed leather interior swap

Even before I bought a CRV, I went to a "pull your part" recycling center and bought a complete clean leather interior (front and rear seats) from a 2005 CRV. They're pretty rare in good condition, and this allowed me to eliminate it from my purchasing criteria, which were already quite precise.

One fine summer's day, I tried to install them in my truck. After removing my entire interior, I realized that they didn't really fit, for 3 main raisons:

1. The center console isn't the same in an automatic (donor) then in a manual (mine). Although I could have done a console swap, it wasn't easy.
2. The wire connectors under the driver's seat are not the same. Again, with a LOT of effort, I probably could have converted what was needed.
3. Above all, the passenger belt doesn't bolt in the same way on the 2 seats. The base of the belt is designed to bolt on the seat base on my fabric interior, whereas it bolts to the floor of the truck for the leather seats.

Anyway, I decided it wasn't a worthwhile project and resold the leather interior on Marketplace.

 

Chapter 9 – Some wild WeatherTech appeared!

I have to confess, I'm addicted to Marketplace. I spend way too much time on it, but sometimes there's a good side.

I was looking for a set of WeatherTech floor mats. They have an undeniable reputation, but even so, I couldn't bring myself to pay $300+ for a new set.

I was lucky enough to find a used set at a reasonable price, which I had shipped to my home.

I'm looking since for a 2nd set for a CRV-buddy and I've never been able to find another one, let's just say they're pretty rare for 2nd generations.

 

Chapter 10 - Hardwired dashcam

I equip most of my vehicles with a Dash Cam. I particularly like this model, available for around $60 on Amazon. It's reliable, easy to use and you can view the videos on your cell phone:

Chortau Dash Cam on Amazon

As for installation, I hate having a bulky wire plugged into the cigarette lighter, so I use this kit to hardwire the camera directly into the fuse box under the steering wheel:

Hardwire Kit on Amazon

(Affiliate links)

I position the camera behind my mirror so I can't see it while driving.

Here's the final result:

 

Chapter 11 – Paint it black

Over the summer I bought a few parts on Marketplace and in scrap yards: a Curt Class 3 hitch, a front grill and both front and rear bumper guards. I wanted to paint all these parts black before installing them.

After a good cleaning, degreasing and sanding, I first applied 2 coats of primer to each part. Then, for the hitch I applied 3 coats of Tremclad Rust Paint, while for the grille and bumper guards I applied 3 coats of Dupli-Color Trim & Bumper Paint.

Here are all the products I used:

CURT Class III Receiver on Amazon

Tremclad Primer on Amazon

Tremclad Rust Paint on Amazon

Dupli-Color Trim & Bumper Paint on Amazon

(Affiliate links)

 

I like all of the design choices!

 

Thanks Craig!

 

Chapter 12 - Black housing headlights

Thanks to a friend who often travels back and forth to the USA, I was able to get an excellent deal on a pair of black housing headlights. So I jumped at the chance to replace my yellowed headlights.

Since the installation involved removing the grille and front bumper, it was an opportunity to install my black-painted parts at the same time.

The headlights I installed are 100% identical to these:

Black housing headlights on Amazon

(Affiliate link)

 

Chapter 13 - The final “steps” to the look I wanted

At this point I'd owned the truck for just over a month. Things were progressing well, and there was one final thing to do to achieve the look I wanted in the short term: removing the steps.

 

Don't know why but all of the sudden, I want to listen to the Rolling Stones.

Lol

Seriously it's looking good.

 

Haha! Thanks alot

Here you go:

 

Thanks

Have fun with the project.

 

This is looking good!

 

Chapter 14 – The Doors

Now that I'd quickly got the truck to my liking in terms of looks, I started on a few repairs and functional improvements. The first was to replace the 2 doors on the driver's side. The front one had a rusted dent, while the rear one was all rusted at the bottom inside.

I found 2 doors in a scrap yard 1h30 from my home. Well worth the trip. I took the whole lot home and a few days later I did the swap.

In theory, it sounded like a pretty straightforward job. However, I had a few problems when I had to transfer the lock and door lock actuator from my old door to the new one. Let's just say it required a lot of skill and patience.

In the end, I'm very happy with the result, especially as the color match with my truck is perfect. Even the window tint is identical to what I had.

 

Chapter 15 - With a sledgehammer, anything is possible

After several days of searching, I finally found all the hardware I needed to install my used hitch. I started the seemingly simple project, only to realize that it was slightly crooked and its holes didn't line up with the frame on one side of my truck.

A few taps with a sledgehammer later, and everything was in place.

 

Chapter 16 – I hate the center console (and love XL coffee)

Since I've had the truck, I've found the center console, which folds up like a small table, particularly poorly designed. There's a lack of storage space and above all the coasters are too small and almost no drink fits properly, especially not my extra-large McDonald's coffee.

So I spent (another) afternoon at a "pull your part" recycling center. There, I did several tests with consoles from different vehicles in second-generation CRVs. I finally found what fit best: a console from a 2007-2011 CRV.

The one I had tested at the recycling center was in a terrible condition. So I searched the marketplace and found a black 3rd-generation CRV console.

One fine day, I removed my driver's seat and removed the original console. I then put the seat back in place and installed the console I bought. To fix it in place I used a corner brace that I folded over itself to make a narrow U shape. I then inserted one bracket under the shifter console and the other under my new console. This holds everything in place and allows me to remove it quickly if necessary.

 

Chapter 17 - Replacing the front CV axles

As I'd noticed during my pre-buy inspection, the truck always vibrated when accelerating between 25 and 40km/h. My guess was that one of my front CV axles needed replacing. Since they showed no signs of wear, grease leaks or torn boot, it was difficult to determine which one was defective. I took no chances and ordered the pair from Rockauto.com.

For installation, since I don't have a garage and I work on the ground in my parking lot, I decided to leave the repair to my mechanic.

I don't have any photos for this step, so here's just a picture of the truck during one of my stays at the cottage.