Honda Owners?

[Mrs. LPW]

Any Honda drivers here? More specifically, any Honda SUV drivers?

We're looking to sell our car and van and move to one compact SUV and the Honda CR-V has caught our attention with its ratings. Wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with them.

[TRFrance]

Sorry...not an SUV driver, but a proud Honda owner--1996 Civic. 208,000 miles. Still runs great.Love it!

One thing I really about Hondas is that they have the highest resale/trade-in value of any brand. Right now any of the big 3 Japanese brands (Honda/Toyota/Nissan) is going to retain its value better than the American brands, sorry to say.

[ReformedDave]

Sorry...not an SUV driver, but a proud Honda owner--1996 Civic. 208,000 miles. Still runs great.Love it!

One thing I really about Hondas is that they have the highest resale/trade-in value of any brand. Right now any of the big 3 Japanese brands (Honda/Toyota/Nissan) is going to retain its value better than the American brands, sorry to say.

Done well with my 1994 Camary....206000 and still fightin!

[Pragmatist]

We have a Honda Accord that I love and a Toyota RAV4 that I like.:)

My only complaint about the RAV4 is that I think it has poor visibility when looking behind to change lanes or backup. My husband uses the mirrors so it doesn't bother him but I like to turn my head to see and the headrests are in my field of vision.

[CC1]

I have a Honda VTX1300S. Does that count? So far it has been very dependable, looks great, runs great. I have added Kuryakin grips, Memphis Shades Windshield, Engine Guard, Passenger seatrest, and a few other things.

[CC1]

By the way believe it or not Consumer Reports just gave the Hyundai Sante Fe their top award for smaller SUV's!!!! Hyundai has come a long way in the last 20 years.

[chosenbyone]

I have a Honda Accord and after owning a Honda, I wouldn't own anything else. I have a friend that drives a Honda SUV and she loves it! In my opinion, you couldn't go wrong with choosing any Honda model. :2cents

[MrsMcD]

I drive a Honda Accord and it is the only type car I will ever own. I looked at the CRV but the horsepower is less than the Accord. You can go to this website and it will tell you everything you want to know and give you reveiws. www.edmunds.com

[TRFrance]

cars.com is good too.

[grace_seeker]

We have a Honda Accord year 2000 and it has about 100,000 and still runs great! The milage is not too bad....22 MPG in town and 28 freeway. But it's my 2004 NISSAN SENTRA that stops us from going into foreclosure on our house! I have gotten a steady 30 MPG and it currently has 112,000 miles and still going well. That is so needed with the price of gas right now.

[DividedThigh]

my wife has a 2005 accord that she loves, it is a great car, dependable, nice, roomy and very good mileage, i am a suv man, so no accord for me, dt:laffatu

[Bro-Larry]

Any Honda drivers here? More specifically, any Honda SUV drivers?

We're looking to sell our car and van and move to one compact SUV and the Honda CR-V has caught our attention with its ratings. Wondering if anyone has had any personal experience with them.

DON'T buy the Real-Time 4 WD, it is a phony 4X4.

Don't expect to get over 23 MPG.

It has lots of road noise.

The standard audio is awful.

It costs too much.

Had to have a valve job at 60K. Who ever heard of needing a valve job nowadays, with unleaded fuel?

Now let me tell you how I really feel about the CRV. hahahah

I'd never buy another one.

[CC1]

The biggest thing to remember about owning a Honda is that you MUST change the timing belt at the scheduled time (usually 90,000-110,000). On a Honda if the timing chain breaks the engine is history unlike Toyota and many other manufactuers where this is not the case.

[MrsMcD]

The biggest thing to remember about owning a Honda is that you MUST change the timing belt at the scheduled time (usually 90,000-110,000). On a Honda if the timing chain breaks the engine is history unlike Toyota and many other manufactuers where this is not the case.

Thanks for the information. I didn't know this.

[Bro-Larry]

Thanks for the information. I didn't know this.

We never made it far enough for a new timing belt. Sorriest car we ever owned.

[CC1]

I forgot to mention that my Honda does seem to have a lot of wind noise. Especially around the windshield.








Oops....wait....it's a motorcycle so I guess they all have that.

[Cindy]

I have a Honda VTX1300S. Does that count? So far it has been very dependable, looks great, runs great. I have added Kuryakin grips, Memphis Shades Windshield, Engine Guard, Passenger seatrest, and a few other things.

vroom, vroom........:cc1

[CC1]

vroom, vroom........:cc1

Actuallythat does sort of look like me on my bike! (A big round blob):gaga

[Mrs. LPW]

DON'T buy the Real-Time 4 WD, it is a phony 4X4.

Don't expect to get over 23 MPG.

It has lots of road noise.

The standard audio is awful.

It costs too much.

Had to have a valve job at 60K. Who ever heard of needing a valve job nowadays, with unleaded fuel?

Now let me tell you how I really feel about the CRV. hahahah

I'd never buy another one.


What year was your CR-V? Which model?

[Mrs. LPW]

I appreciate everyone responding. I know we likely won't be buying a North American made car... we have a long history with those. :)

[Mrs. LPW]

I drive a Honda Accord and it is the only type car I will ever own. I looked at the CRV but the horsepower is less than the Accord. You can go to this website and it will tell you everything you want to know and give you reveiws. www.edmunds.com

I need a zip code for Edmunds.. it won't accept my Canadian one.

[Ron]

I am a GM Man myself, Ford is okay, but I will never own a Chrysler again--they are nothing but Lemons.

[CC1]

I am a GM Man myself, Ford is okay, but I will never own a Chrysler again--they are nothing but Lemons.

I would love to have the new Dodge Challenger coming out. Or the new Camaro.

What I might actually get and would love is the new Pontiac G8 with that 367 hp V8 engine!!!! GM ripped off the BMW 5 series in looks and then has that great V8. It is a good one because it is from GM Holden in Australia not one of GM's domestic pieces of garbage. This G8 and the great new Malibu just might save GM.

[Bro-Larry]

What year was your CR-V? Which model?

2001 ES (I think. There's one model more expensive above it) It had Realtime Fourwheel Drive, which is supposed to engage automatically, if the front wheels started to spin. The whole concept is stupid. Imagine driving on ice and the front wheels start spinning? The rear wheels engage with loud slam and you let off the gas. The rear wheels disengage. It just doesn't work. We went two winters here in Texas without ice or snow, by the time I realized it didn't work, the 36K warranty ran off. We thought Honda's were so trouble free, that we didn't need the extended warranty. -wrong-

IAM's BIL had one also, he only got 23MPG. Did I mention we didn't like the CR-V? :tissue

[Mrs. LPW]

2001 ES (I think. There's one model more expensive above it) It had Realtime Fourwheel Drive, which is supposed to engage automatically, if the front wheels started to spin. The whole concept is stupid. Imagine driving on ice and the front wheels start spinning? The rear wheels engage with loud slam and you let off the gas. The rear wheels disengage. It just doesn't work. We went two winters here in Texas without ice or snow, by the time I realized it didn't work, the 36K warranty ran off. We thought Honda's were so trouble free, that we didn't need the extended warranty. -wrong-

IAM's BIL had one also, he only got 23MPG. Did I mention we didn't like the CR-V? :tissue

A couple of times :) I'll mention this to my hubby, what I really want is a safe vehicle for my children.

[Bro-Larry]

A couple of times :) I'll mention this to my hubby, what I really want is a safe vehicle for my children.

Safety is another issue. My wife said she always felt like she was riding in a tin can. :kickcan

[TRFrance]

Safety is another issue. My wife said she always felt like she was riding in a tin can. :kickcan

Mrs LPW, safety on the CRV is among the best in its class.
I know that for a fact.

Vehicle stability assist feature with traction control, to electronically sense and respond to wheel slippage on slick surfaces.

Electronic Brake Distribution - sends more stopping power to the rear wheels if needed, based on the weight of passengers or cargo in the back.

Front, Side, and Side curtain air bags with automatic rollover sensor.

5 star- govt safety rating for front and side impact collision .

Crumple zones built into the body to absorb impact of a front end crash.

...and more.

I'd recommend cars.com, or the Honda.com website for a complete breakdown of these and other safety features on the vehicle.

[MrsMcD]

2001 ES (I think. There's one model more expensive above it) It had Realtime Fourwheel Drive, which is supposed to engage automatically, if the front wheels started to spin. The whole concept is stupid. Imagine driving on ice and the front wheels start spinning? The rear wheels engage with loud slam and you let off the gas. The rear wheels disengage. It just doesn't work. We went two winters here in Texas without ice or snow, by the time I realized it didn't work, the 36K warranty ran off. We thought Honda's were so trouble free, that we didn't need the extended warranty. -wrong-

IAM's BIL had one also, he only got 23MPG. Did I mention we didn't like the CR-V? :tissue

I would think with Honda's stability they have repaired and upgraded issues since 2001.

[MrsMcD]

I need a zip code for Edmunds.. it won't accept my Canadian one.

You won't be able to compare prices in your area but you could type in a zip code from anywhere in the states and be able to read reviews.

[Mrs. LPW]

I have to say I appreciate everyone for responding on the subject... we've never bought a new car in our lives, and it's a huge decision.. or it feels like it anyway! :)

[Ron]

I have to say I appreciate everyone for responding on the subject... we've never bought a new car in our lives, and it's a huge decision.. or it feels like it anyway! :)

If you want to buy a new car, it is best to buy in the late fall/end of year clear outs of that model year to get real savings.
Another thing is buying a demo, you can save up to 30% on getting a demo.

Once you drive that car off the lot it just depreciated 20-30%!

Things to consider.

[Pragmatist]

If you want to buy a new car, it is best to buy in the late fall/end of year clear outs of that model year to get real savings.
Another thing is buying a demo, you can save up to 30% on getting a demo.

Once you drive that car off the lot it just depreciated 20-30%!

Things to consider.

We buy new with the intent of keeping the car for at least 10 years. With Honda and Toyota having a good resale value we feel it is worth it to know exactly what has happened with the vehicle.

[CC1]

If you are going to buy a new car, especially a Honda or Toyota where little discounting goes on, it would be worth your while to contact the Internet sales department of the Honda dealers within a reasonable distance of where you live and ask them for a quote on the vehicle equipped like you want. They know that they are competing with other dealers and many times will make a better deal this way than if you come in and they think they can get you to commit right then.

Honda's only have a handful of option packages so you can go to www.kbb.com
(Kelly Blue Book Online) and click on New Cars then the year, model, etc to find out the dealer invoice and retail pricing of the car and option packages.

The other thing to beware of is that many dealers add goofy "appearance" or "security" packages to jack up the MRSP and make more money. Often you will see sealants or window engraving for $200 or $400 added to the price when they only cost ten or twenty bucks for the dealer. Make sure you don't let them pad the MSRP with these things before they then discount.

[CC1]

If you are going to buy a new car, especially a Honda or Toyota where little discounting goes on, it would be worth your while to contact the Internet sales department of the Honda dealers within a reasonable distance of where you live and ask them for a quote on the vehicle equipped like you want. They know that they are competing with other dealers and many times will make a better deal this way than if you come in and they think they can get you to commit right then.

Honda's only have a handful of option packages so you can go to www.kbb.com
(Kelly Blue Book Online) and click on New Cars then the year, model, etc to find out the dealer invoice and retail pricing of the car and option packages.

The other thing to beware of is that many dealers add goofy "appearance" or "security" packages to jack up the MRSP and make more money. Often you will see sealants or window engraving for $200 or $400 added to the price when they only cost ten or twenty bucks for the dealer. Make sure you don't let them pad the MSRP with these things before they then discount.

I spent about 10 years in the Car Biz. Last job in it was as the Sales Manager at an Infiniti dealership. It was a great place and great cars!

[grace_seeker]

The biggest thing to remember about owning a Honda is that you MUST change the timing belt at the scheduled time (usually 90,000-110,000). On a Honda if the timing chain breaks the engine is history unlike Toyota and many other manufactuers where this is not the case.

Hmm....I have not done that....

[CC1]

Hmm....I have not done that....

:tissue:tantrum

How many miles are on it?

As someone who spent $3300 replacing a blown Ford Taurus engine about three years ago you want to avoid a blown engine at all costs!!!

You also want to spend the extra hundred bucks or les and get the mechanic to replace your water pump while they are replacing the timing chain because most of the expense is the labor and most of it is already done getting to the timing chain.

[HeavenlyOne]

If you want to buy a new car, it is best to buy in the late fall/end of year clear outs of that model year to get real savings.
Another thing is buying a demo, you can save up to 30% on getting a demo.

Once you drive that car off the lot it just depreciated 20-30%!

Things to consider.

Another thing to consider is getting a one year old vehicle. You can save up to 10k and still get an excellent warranty on it.

[RandyWayne]

I already have our name on the list for the up and coming Chevy Volt. :)

But to the subject, we own two Honda Civics. GREAT cars but also rather boring. Sometimes "boring" is good though if it means you don't have a lot of repairs.

[Bro-Larry]

I almost live in my work truck, so I drive a lot. I've averaged buying a new vehicle a little less than every two years, for a long time. I've had almost zero trouble with American cars and trucks. Sometimes I buy the extended warranty, but most of the time in hindsight it has turned out to be wasted money, Nowadays, the dealers give almost nothing for tradeins so I usually drive a vehicle about 200,000 miles, then sell it to individual. That's the only way I've been able to get my money's worth.

I've found in the end, you will save little or nothing by buying yearend model. When you go to sell it, it will be another year older. The secret is to deal hard, you can buy the current year model for almost the same as yearender.

Another very important thing is to drive a lot of different models. Look and look until you are sick of looking. That will qualify you to make the right selection. If you don't walk out on a dealer or two, you haven't looked enough. They will come around, if you do that. They will always call you back, with a better offer. You have to be firm and precise. Remember they are the professionals, and even with you're best deal, they are got to beat you. Their best tactic is to try to make you feel sorry for them. Don't fall for that.

[CC1]

Another thing to consider is getting a one year old vehicle. You can save up to 10k and still get an excellent warranty on it.

Yup. A few years ago I bought my wife a one year old Lincoln Town car for $25,000 that new had listed for about $42,000 and even with rebates probably sold for at least $35,000 new.

Before that I did the same thing with a Ford Taurus "program car".

I don't begrudge anybody wanting a new car though. Especially if they keep them a long time.

I am always torn because from my years in the car biz I intellectually know it makes a lot more sense to buy a one or two year old used car but on the other hand I really hate buying used things. I really like the idea of something as important as my car being something I have taken care of since it was new. That is just emotion and not logic though so I have overridden that the last two car purchases.

However for my next car in a couple of years I am thinking new and two completely different directoins. Next fall VW comes back out with a diesel for the Jetta and this one is a new direct injected engine that takes the horsepower from 100 to 140 and gets about 50mpg on the highway!

The other option is 180 degrees different. The new Pontiac G8 coming out looks like a BMW 5 series and has a 367 hp V8 engine!!! It's first reviews are great.

[Mrs. LPW]

I almost live in my work truck, so I drive a lot. I've averaged buying a new vehicle a little less than every two years, for a long time. I've had almost zero trouble with American cars and trucks. Sometimes I buy the extended warranty, but most of the time in hindsight it has turned out to be wasted money, Nowadays, the dealers give almost nothing for tradeins so I usually drive a vehicle about 200,000 miles, then sell it to individual. That's the only way I've been able to get my money's worth.

I've found in the end, you will save little or nothing by buying yearend model. When you go to sell it, it will be another year older. The secret is to deal hard, you can buy the current year model for almost the same as yearender.

Another very important thing is to drive a lot of different models. Look and look until you are sick of looking. That will qualify you to make the right selection. If you don't walk out on a dealer or two, you haven't looked enough. They will come around, if you do that. They will always call you back, with a better offer. You have to be firm and precise. Remember they are the professionals, and even with you're best deal, they are got to beat you. Their best tactic is to try to make you feel sorry for them. Don't fall for that.

Well we got this part down!!! :)

[Mrs. LPW]

I don't begrudge anybody wanting a new car though. Especially if they keep them a long time.

I am always torn because from my years in the car biz I intellectually know it makes a lot more sense to buy a one or two year old used car but on the other hand I really hate buying used things. I really like the idea of something as important as my car being something I have taken care of since it was new. That is just emotion and not logic though so I have overridden that the last two car purchases.
.

If I could have all the money back we spent in repairs in the last 11 years I'd be set. We're back to square one again, talking about keeping our car and selling the van... funny how these decisions make you go in circles!

[CC1]

If I could have all the money back we spent in repairs in the last 11 years I'd be set. We're back to square one again, talking about keeping our car and selling the van... funny how these decisions make you go in circles!

Yup. I have never really had good luck with used cars so when I buy one it is definitely not older than one or two years old and still under warranty.

I did that the last two purchases and have been happy. The Lincoln has had very little wrong with it and one benefit of buying a used luxury car was that the warranty went to 50,000 miles so what little did go wrong was covered.

[HeavenlyOne]

I'll be in the 'new' vehicle market this summer or fall. I'm not sure what to get, but I know what I won't be getting!!!

[Ron]

I am not a Honda person, never have, and probably never will!

If one were to buy a Honda, they can call it Fenry, as in Fenry Honda!:hypercoffee

[Monkeyman]

Yes

[Mrs. LPW]

Yes

Do you drive a Honda? How'd I miss that!!!!!

[Monkeyman]

Do you drive a Honda? How'd I miss that!!!!!Ummm, it is always in the parking lot at CCC, I guess you would have to go once in a while........heeeeeeeeeeeeeee, what a burn!!!!! (how old am I?)

[Monkeyman]

And it is a CRV or as Annette's mom Judy calls it, a VCR!!!!!

[CC1]

I am not a Honda person, never have, and probably never will!

If one were to buy a Honda, they can call it Fenry, as in Fenry Honda!:hypercoffee

Honda Accords and Civics have a great reputation. Why don't you like them?

[Mrs. LPW]

Ummm, it is always in the parking lot at CCC, I guess you would have to go once in a while........heeeeeeeeeeeeeee, what a burn!!!!! (how old am I?)

See, we never park in the "important people" section so I never noticed.

(You must be ooooolllllld if you lost track yourself!!!!)

[commonsense]

Just bought a 2007 Ford Five Hundred. Great ride, leather seats, 6 yr 100,000 mi warranty. As an older citizen I need my creature comforts...:driving

[dixonic2]

I sold Honda's and Toyotas for a while. I find that if you like the "road" feel when you drive, Go with the CR-V. If you like a "smoother" ride, try the RAV-4 by Toyota. Very, very comparable and both hold their resale value in the future!

[Bro-Larry]

I sold Honda's and Toyotas for a while. I find that if you like the "road" feel when you drive, Go with the CR-V. If you like a "smoother" ride, try the RAV-4 by Toyota. Very, very comparable and both hold their resale value in the future!

Probably a good undercoating job would cut down on the CR-V road noise. Cost??/

[Revelationist]

I've had a Accord, it was great... Toyota and Honda are the two best brands out there.