2005 Honda CR-V

[smithyithy]

Recently sold my 987.2 Cayman after a couple of years. It's been great and a perfect first Porsche, but a first house is more important so priorities etc..



Anyway I started thinking about what to replace it with. Something cheaper obviously, but also more practical, something I can lug stuff around in, take shooting (unpaved tracks and farm fields weren't the best for the Porsche) and something relatively reliable for at least a couple of years.

I set a budget of a few grand, and narrowed it down to a Japanese SUV, preferably an auto, but definitely a petrol. Choices were Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail...Possibly one of the Korean options. It really came down to just buying the cleanest one I could find. Scoured the usual classifieds sites, viewed a few (mostly overpriced and terminally rusty or with horrendous MOT histories), got messed around by a couple of garages, but eventually found this CR-V on Facebook Marketplace (I know...) from a trader an hour or so away that buys and sells part-ex's.

I'd researched the cars beforehand so knew roughly what I was looking for. Gave this one a good check over and test drive and was happy, so struck up a deal, got a few quid off the asking price plus a fresh MOT. The front tyres are almost new, rears are good, and it's just had oil and plugs service.

It's a 2005 CR-V 2.0 petrol, automatic, in 'Executive' spec, which gives leather interior, body coloured bumpers etc and probably some other bits - it has air-con (needs a re-gas), DVD-based sat-nav (no longer works), cruise control (works perfectly), sunroof, heated seats all good.

It's not a true off-road SUV but it's more than enough for what I'll use it for. Mega practical, comfy, still feels well built, looks good to my eyes, and unlike the Porsche I won't really be worried about where I drive or park it.

Pics from the advert:

















Being cheaper than the Cayman and not an enthusiast / 'prestigious' car as such, I don't mind getting stuck in and doing a few bits to it.

General plans in no specific order are:

• Interior deep clean - it's not bad at all, way cleaner than one that I viewed ( ), but being an old car with a few miles I want to give it a thorough clean throughout.

• Exterior detail - again, not bad at all currently. plan is - thorough wash (all the nooks and crannies), clay, single stage polish, sealant. Maybe remove the wheels for a proper clean too.

• Headlight restoration - typical of Japanese cars of this period. should be able to get them back to new.

• Underseal - rust seems the biggest issue with these, as evidenced by many MOT fails I saw in my search. this one's not bad at all, it's been sealed with something in the past, there's some rust showing through but it's not bad at all. I viewed an X-Trail that was like a sieve underneath.. So hopefully spray the underbody and inner arches while the weather's still warm.

• Window tints - not to everyone's tastes, I know, but I want the privacy and sun protection for the rear. not going limo-spec, probably just a medium tint to the rear sides, quarters and rear screen.

• Stereo upgrade - currently has a CD / FM radio one, no Bluetooth or Aux, and sat-nav is DVD-based and no longer works. plan for a double-DIN with CarPlay / Android Auto from a known brand (but still budget model).

[smithyithy]

Picked it up on a weeknight (which ended up being an absolute nightmare as the bank took 2.5 hours to authorise the payment, then we got stuck in an almighty stshow of traffic and diversions on the motorway) - obligatory midnight Maccies stop:



So I've only been able to do little bits on my lunch break or after work so far, mainly gave the interior a really good clean - thorough vacuum (ideally the whole rear seats fold up and move so access is great), took the mats out and washed them, cleaned every bit of interior plastic with 303, cleaned all the leather with Gliptone, just needs a condition now.

As it's the auto, there's no centre console, and the whole floor is flat. But there's this useful shelf(?) between the front seats that folds down via a lever. Previous owner had glued some of that anti-slip drawer liner to it - novel idea but ended up being full of grime. So that was removed during cleaning...



That glue will be a pain to remove so I might just cut and stick down some new rubber, I have some somewhere.

Oh, these CR-V's also came with a fold-out table that stores under the boot carpet. Perfect for a elevenses on a games shoot


The interior lights (of which there's quite a few) were a bit crap, so I ordered a bunch of LEDs from Amazon, cheap enough multipacks so if they blow, can be easily replaced.

Front map lights:







Centre and rear (boot) lights:









The glovebox has one too, weirdly small festoon bulb and utterly useless, so figured it was worth changing..







I found out the rear plate lights are wedge-type too so gave the lenses a clean and new bulbs..







Just little things for now until I have more time to spend on it. Aircon re-gas booked for next next (Groupon deal), couple of quotes for the windows but they can wait a few weeks.. Few more bits coming from Amazon over the weekend.

[Mr Tidy]

That's so sad!

When are you getting some slippers with Velcro?

[smithyithy]

Mr Tidy said:

That's so sad!

When are you getting some slippers with Velcro?

I only wear plimsolls

[3GGy]

I bought one 5 years ago, 2005 auto like yours. It's been the cheapest and most reliable thing I've owned. I've done 50k in mine, now on 170k I think and in five years it's just needed brakes, radiator, belt tensioner and service items, fluids etc. Although the cat has fallen to bits this year so that might be the end of the road. We'll see come MOT time. MPG isn't great, 25-30, not unexpected though. Enjoy not giving a toss.

By the looks of it, you've already gobe to more effort making it nice than I have since I've had mine

I tinted my windows so I could leave stuff in the back. Think that was £30 for the pre-cut stuff on eBay. Put a decent set of winter tyres on it, and it's been golden.

Edited by 3GGy on Saturday 19th August 03:50

[RC1807]

My Dad bought one for his retirement and ran it until he died 13 years later. His only covered about 3k/year as he didn’t go anywhere.
I recall he foolishly paid Honda for a new nav unit about 10 years ago, £900 or so (!) instead of getting it fixed, which I’m sure it could have been, Oh, and he never used the nav anyway!

[d_a_n1979]

Good bus... Keep the oil & filter fresh and make sure there's no loud ticking from the tappets and you'll be fine. Solid engine

My pals Dad had; one killed it driving to mid Germany & back from here in Lancashire; nearly 300k before it gave up the ghost

They're both in BMW F31s now, 320D and a 330D (with a broken E91 330D in there too); his Dad still swears the CRV was faultless compared to the BMWs!

[bolidemichael]

I find this thread and vehicle choice quite endearing. If I may comment — the LED number plate bulbs may actually ‘white out’ the rear number plate. It’s one of my pet hates but I can’t think of a good reason other than ‘chav’.

[smithyithy]

bolidemichael said:

I find this thread and vehicle choice quite endearing. If I may comment — the LED number plate bulbs may actually ‘white out’ the rear number plate. It’s one of my pet hates but I can’t think of a good reason other than ‘chav’.

I absolutely loved the Porsche and it was a massive box ticked to have owned one. But occasionally I'd borrow my mum's old automatic Mitsubishi Colt for errands or tip runs and there's something genuinely fun and carefree about zipping around in a cheap econobox...

I find that with this, it's actually a really nice example and originally I'd planned to only spend a couple of grand on a scruffy one and just drive it until it dies, but it felt like a bit of a false economy so I upped the budget and found a clean one. The lazy comfortable practicality of it is - as you say - quite endearing

I'll see how the plate lights look, I haven't actually seen them in the dark yet as it peed it down all night, but if they're obnoxious then I'll change them.

[3GGy]

I think you've done the right thing. I bought a scruffy £1,500 one which had spent it's life down south, and I kind of wish I'd have taken care of it a bit better. Mechanically I've mostly kept ontop of it, although really wish I'd have undersealed it but it was always meant to be 'until the next MOT' car. 5 passed MOTs later... and unfortunately for it, 5 Scottish winters. It was never meant to stay, never meant to be as dependable as it has been... it was a stop gap car. It has served me well, and gave me exactly what I was after I suppose. Great cars.

Underappreciated in the UK these days I think. No appeal amongst any group really, no niche. Look at the first replies to this thread I'm suprised these old Jap SUVs aren't popular among the Dacia Duster types for example.

I have silly thoughts of buying a nice one now I know my way around them. Thanks for posting by the way, sometimes I feel like a weirdo.

[bolidemichael]

Can we have a photo of the secret table in situ? That piques my interest.

I should say that we did something similar in a way, except that it was a 4.4L petrol V8 L322 Range Rover

[smithyithy]

Spot on replies so far, thanks, glad there's some appreciation I think these are great cars for the money, I'm kinda glad I found a clean CRV as it was my preferred choice truth be told, I'd been watching YouTube videos (mostly American) praising how reliable and practical they are.

I looked at Dusters but most were diesel which I didn't really want and often the Japanese stuff although older is generally higher spec for the price.

I like Jimnys too but I couldn't find one for an equivalent price that wasn't severely rusted..

I'll get a photo of the table later

[Bikesalot]

Oh I am in for the updates.

I had a 2006 2.2 diesel. Sold on 205,000 miles, for more then I paid for it. Such an incredible workhorse, loaded more in the boot than I should have. Towed an obscene amount of muck, soil, dirt, concrete, house muck etc.

For the 18 or so months I had it whilst I was refurbishing my house and doing a lot of work in the garden it was unstoppable.

If you get a knocking / rattle from the rear it’ll be the ARB bushes. The bolts holding the bushes in place are prone to snapping so be sure to soak them up for a few days it so.

The unstoppable CRV is still a favourite.

[Sheepshanks]

smithyithy said:

You could enter that pic into the bad parking thread!

I see the original dealer was Saunders in Chester - one of two excellent Honda dealers locally that Honda UK canned a few years ago, with seemingly disastrous results for local sales. Saunders spun off a servicing garage and we still use them for the two Jazzs we have in the family.

[smithyithy]

@Bikesalot - I'll keep an eye / listen out for that, cheers! Funnily enough the only recent MOT fail or issue was last year and that was an ARB mount if I remember right, I'll have to check if it was front or rear.

@Sheepshanks - Yep, that's what 4 hours of driving will do, and then being stuck behind someone that wanted to distribute their order to all 3 of their passengers while still parked in the drive through queue

My nearest Honda is Wolverhampton I think - I might see if they can make up my private plates so that I've got 'Honda' on them.. sad I know, but the plates in my garage have Porsche on them so.....

[Audis5b9]

I ran a 04 2.0 petrol CRV alongside my 991s

It was an incredibly useful car to use to all the jobs the porker wasn't made for. Did 7k miles in a year without too much fuss.

Surprisingly comfortable!

Mine did suffer badly from rust, so had to have that welded and I snapped a drive shaft when pulling off a little to enthusiastically but other than that it was simple motoring.

[Car_driver]

These are really decent cars. My parents bought a 2001 one (also automatic) back in 2008 and it's still running fine.
One thing I would mention is the catalytic converter, beware that some scumbag might relieve you of it (happened with my parents car unfortunately).

[smithyithy]

Yeah the cat is one of my worries to be fair, same with my mum's Colt it's quite easy to get to - even easier with the ground clearance can't do much other than be careful where it's left - touch wood we haven't really had any major issues with thefts in our local area, but you never know..

[Shabaza]

I would recommend selling the original cat yourself.
Should pay for a modern one, which isn't desirable enough to steal.
It saves big hassle to find they've chopped it off and the O2 sensor etc

[Sheepshanks]

Shabaza said:

I would recommend selling the original cat yourself.
Should pay for a modern one, which isn't desirable enough to steal.
It saves big hassle to find they've chopped it off and the O2 sensor etc

If thieves are just chopping them out, do they know the difference?