I think the older the V and/or the more mileage it has on it, the more should be done as "just in case". So yes to most fluids, battery, etc. Unless you have service records that those things were done recently or at all.

 

Without service records, and in addition to changing most fluids, one should probably invest in a thorough checkup by an experienced Honda dealer service. Prey that they are honest and want you as a regular customer ...

In some climates one should probably also check up the rust proofing.

 

Buying any car in general I would do a google search to see what the most complaints on that year is/are.

As for buying a used CRV, here are a few things I would look at first:


Check for signs of an accident:
1. Get a tape measure and check the gaps of the wheel from the end of the wheel to the body, if all(4 sides) are the same then it is pretty safe to say it was probably not in a severe accident.
2. Check where the weld and glue are to see if it is different anywhere else this includes the trunk. The spare tire should show you where the welds are and if any of it looks new or off.

Check for signs of a flood:
1. I would check the bottom of the carpets for dirt. In every car I have ever owned, even the 1989 corolla. As soon as I lift the old warn carpet off I see that the bottom the linen is still brand new and in the dark black back in 89. Look for rust in places where moisture should not have gotten to.
2. Watch out for heavy new car smells. I always get suspicious every time I get in a used car and it smells like heavy perfume and soap. Some clean car smell is ok, but when it seems like the car is soaked in it, avoid.

Check for maintenance:
1. Easiest thing to check is the engine oil filler cap. Open and actually look inside. I doubt they will flush the engine out. If I see sludge or milk color... I run, if it is brown or light dark might mean the oil must have been sitting for a bit but should be ok. Black means sitting for a long time and not serviced enough, sludge might have built up?
2. Check the transmission dipstick. If it has <60,000 miles and the fluid is brownish good idea to change it. If >60,000 or black. The transmission has worked to hard and wasn't maintained, changing fluid at your own risk.
3. Check power steering fluid and brake fluid to see the color, if nice and clear then it was maintained, else brownish should be service, if black never serviced.
4. Checking coolant - See if the coolant is low and check to see the color. The nice and bright it is the better the coolant is. Coolant fading in color or getting dark means it needs service.

If all fluids are good, the rest of the fluid should be good. If some fluids are dark and need service and others are ok, then I would just change them all to be on the safe side. Even the good looking fluids.

Road test:
1. Check for alignment problem. I would find a straight road and let go of the steering wheel to see if it pulls to one side. If it stays center then it is ok.
2. Check for fluid leaks. After the test drive I stop somewhere clean and see if any odd color fluid starts coming out. If it is water or clear then it is the AC drain doing its job.



Budget for service:
Honda dealer with factory warranty or low mileage - At the Honda place I go to, every Honda vehicle gets new fluid when people trade them in or they buy at auction. It is hard to tell if they been abused since they have all the fluids and change them out. Some of the older used cars might be left as is with just an oil change maybe.


Battery replacement - You can check the battery at auto parts store. If it is healthy then keep it if not replace it or ask for a discount when buying since you need a new battery.

Fluids - depends on age. If transmission and engine fluids are black, then at your own risk change the fluids a few times. Hope the transmission don't fail and the engine wont start eating oil. For darker. The rest can be changed out and flushed.

Electronics - If the CRV is 10 years old with 100,000 miles or more - with no service history I probably change the spark plugs and wires for preventive maintenance.

Body - Those with plastic on the bottom of the door and around the wheel should be pretty rust resistance. If the CRV is older design with all metal to the bottom, I would check for signs of patches. If it has been patched up that means extra maintenance assuming they did it right and it will not start rusting out or paint fading in 2 years or so.

might miss something, but I think this is long enough

 

Try to find certified, they usually come with warranty

 

Once you have done the basics already mentioned in this thread and IF have a pretty good feeling about the car, as a final step and piece of mind, find a local independent mechanic who specializes in Hondas and pay them the $99 or whatever to have them check the car over very carefully. You will learn a lot about your car, start a relationship with a mechanic that will be beneficial when you have a problem beyond your own repair skill level and the inspection almost always will provide enough found items to haggle down on the price of the car at least as much as the inspection costs. So in the end, the inspection is not a cost to you but you are able to be more confident about your purchase.

 

Hello - New member here. This thread is amazingly helpful - thank you all.

I'm wondering (having never bought a car from a dealer before), do they let you take the car to any mechanic? How does this work?

Also anyone from Portland, OR here? Have any recommendations for great Honda Mechanics?

 

Dealers (especially new-car dealers) don't usually let you take the car elsewhere. But they offer a guarantee. So you could have the car checked out after you buy is to assure yourself that there are no unsuspecting problems.

Used car lots (non-dealer) usually have a guarantee as well, but it may just entitle you to swap with another vehicle if you find a serious issue.


A private seller should allow the car to be brought to a garage for evaluation (on the buyer's dime, of course).

As with any transaction, be sure you understand any guarantee, might be a good idea to get it all in writing and initialed by both parties.

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When we purchased our 2006 V, we first looked at Honda Certified vehicles (about 2 years old). They were only about 15% less than new. Luckily we were able to cough up the extra cash to buy the new vehicle. The Certified used cars were 20% more expensive than a non-certified from other new-car sellers (non-Honda).


New vehicle financing is usually on better terms than used, as well. So the monthly payments on the small loan we took were about the same as for new.

+++++++++

Our daughter purchased a Certified Toyota once. I double-checked every Certified item and you know what? It was all as promised, EXCEPT for worn tires (tread depth). We asked the dealer about that, and they gave us a set of four NEW tires without hassle. Cool, huh?

 

Buff - Your anecdote about your daughter reminded me of my daughter when she traded in her 'Certified' Civic on her new Accord. They had made the deal and were dealing with us on our CR-V when the manager came into the discussion and said that her car was going to have to be wholesaled as they found frame damage that wouldn't allow them to sell it as Certified. We assured them that it hadn't been in an accident under our daughter's ownership and that that is exactly the way we bought the car from the dealer up in Orange County. They stood by the deal much to their credit (as if they really had a choice there, we had signed paperwork) and it taught me to really look hard at 'Certified' from then on. I told them if they had a beef it should be with the original selling dealer who had certified it in the first place.