Piston Slap: In Praise of the 2005 Honda CR-V
Dear Sajeev,
Back in 2005 I purchased a new Honda CR-V. It recently rolled over 200,000 miles. It has never given me any trouble or needed anything but normally scheduled service and the usual wear items (tires, brakes, battery). It has survived the New England winters rust free. Most importantly, it’s paid for.
Is there anything proactive I should do to keep it on the road, maybe even for another 100K? I don’t mind investing now if it will save me major repairs later. As trouble-free as it’s been I can’t see replacing it (nor am I in a position to right now), but given the mileage I feel like I should be waiting for that other shoe to drop!
Sajeev answers:
Wow… recanting Monday’s Piston Slap kinda sounds like a good idea now. The CR-V laughs at our Rust Belt Woes!
Probably the best things you can do (outside of regular servicing) is keeping your ride as pretty (wax/detail at the minimum) and as nice to drive (new shocks/springs) as possible.
The former is obvious: you want a vehicle with decent curb appeal, otherwise you’re driving a mere winter beater year ’round. Even if that doesn’t bother you, why let it get worse when you don’t have to? Pride in your Ride…Son!
The latter can keep the suspension at its ideal geometry, preventing excess wear as its bones get older. And new shocks make sure those old bones don’t cycle up/down unnecessarily, in theory. Plus, it’ll ride and handle like new again. Which is the textbook definition of an “added perk.” So what else is left that you may never notice until it’s too late?
- Replace all rubber hoses at your next coolant flush. (even the ones to the heater!)
- Replace engine serpentine belt.
- Inspect all vacuum lines for cracks/brittleness/gooey-ness.
- Upgrade your speakers (with the cheaper side of the aftermarket) so you can hear what you’ve missed, or shall miss.
- Replace headlight bulbs, odds are the filaments are far from their original efficiency.
- Lubricate weatherstripping with silicone spray lubricant, slick up door hinges/latches with something the factory recommends.
- Shampoo carpets.
I’ve probably left plenty on the table for the Best and Brightest…so off we go!
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
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(The actual Chris who sent in the question here). Thank you for all the thoughtful replies (and you, too, Sajeev). My CR-V dates back to when they built them in Japan. I don't know if that accounts for the build quality or not, but it has certainly been solid. I should have mentioned that I am indeed staying on top of the belt and hose replacements. I will admit to using the dealer for most of my service, but frankly the three I have used (while living and/or working near different cities) have not tried to screw me (yet). Despite a variety of tire experiments it has always exhibited some pretty loud road noise. My best noise / wear / cost compromise has been with Hankooks from Tire Rack. I replaced the dash AC/heater bulbs last summer myself, as they are a pain in the ass and would have cost a lot in labor. I hear on the Honda forums that there is an AUX connector on the back of my stereo and may try hooking a MP3 adapter to it.
Love K24 CR-V's. My dad's girlfriend had one with a 5-speed and 4WD. It lived most of it's life in New Hampshire and apparently didn't get washed much, it had an alarming amount of structural rust. And a voracious oil leak from the crank position sensor. And a lot of other problems. She got rid of it when part of the rear subframe cracked going over a bump. They're not immune to rust.