Zack, bless your heart for being so sweet. Wonderful and lovely review near and dear to my heart especially mentioning my children and job. I had the time of my life on that trip. Will be back again soon...
It’s nice to see a fellow 1st gen owner with pride of ownership. I have a 1999 model year that my wife no longer wanted because she felt she deserved a new car so I just kept it in the family as a pool car. I love this tinny little thing, it’s fun to drive and so basic. I too have pride of ownership and it’s fun to do little projects on it. Hope to see you on Facebook for 1st gen CRV owners if you aren’t already a member. Respects from Los Angeles.
This is the type of car I have, except mines a manual. It’s older than me and I fucking adore this little car!! It’s done over 300,000 km and it hasn’t shown any signs of quitting anytime soon
I have a 1997 CRV with 1,075,000 and counting. She drives like a champ still. 2 transmission but original motor. I just did the head gasket and timing 3 months ago for the 2nd time in my 698,000 mi of ownership.
My buddy has a 1999 CRV that we all call “The ‘99” and it has taken us to many places and back. Thing’s a real tank I really feel like it does not want to go down 😂
I can confirm that this generation of Honda's are ridiculously well built. I have a 1997 Civic with over 353K miles with very few repairs. Original engine and transmission, original AC system, original steering and suspension minus the outer tie rod ends that just started to wear out, even original starter and alternator. But the most impressive thing to me is how well it held up and drives! The engine still sounds and feels new and doesn't burn oil, the transmission shifts like new, no warning lights are on, the suspension still feels new, there are no clunks, squeaks, or rattles, and everything still works as it should except the volume knob on the radio.
I had a 1st generation odyssey. Absolute turd but it ran and drove with 400,000 miles and had to be started with a screwdriver. Amazingly the power moonroof still worked!
I remember back in the 90s nobody wanted these and now they are kind of a cult classic. I guess the same can be said for lots of older japanese vehicles. 🎶Don't know what ya got til it's gone🎶
the 2 different climate control vents at 3:55 are for different functions. The top one is for the window defrost and the bottom one is the actual climate control vent
Great review, Zack! I used to have a 2000 CR-V AWD, same color as this one but with the 5-speed manual, awesome little car! This review brought back many amazing memories I had with that car, helping people move, plowing through snow drifts, commuting to several different jobs, road trips, and camping trips (The picnic table was great for this!). I sadly had to scrap the old CR-V at nearly 300,000 miles. It had a misfire, pretty bad rust, an oil leak, and the clutch finally gave out so I knew it was time to move on but I'll never forget how fun that little car was to drive. I know it's a cliché saying but they really don't make them like that anymore! I've since upgraded to a slightly newer 2004 CR-V AWD 5MT which is in almost every aspect a superior vehicle, but without the same "soul" that my old green machine had. Watching this review was like stepping back in time and brought back many memories of bittersweet moments I had in my life while I had that car. I'm happy that I could take that brief trip! Cheers.
Darker shades of green are starting to come back to the car market but I haven't really seen anything quite like this CR-V with the exception of one Land Rover. Current cars tend to lean toward forest green or military.
I looked at a second generation at auction. I’m sure the Vtec k series engine is much better to drive but the interior is just horrific. The door cards have this loose load king fabric and the parking brake handle is just weird. Dash looks weird. Thing is who cares? If well kept it will last and last.
My high school band director had a blurple one of these. I kept seeing around town for years after he traded it. That green looks fantastic. It's crazy that this used to be considered normal-sized but is now the size of the HR-V. This is more of a tall Civic wagon with a lift kit. I'm glad someone is saving these mundane commuter cars that were intended to be used and disposed of.
I can definitely back the "it just keeps going" attitude. I have a 2000 Gen 1 that I rolled. It is old, and needs some bushings now, and a new front drivers side axl.. But it drives amazing. I threw a bull bar (cow, protester) catcher on the front (which actually gives me a lot more grip in the front due to its weight), a roof rack for overall use, and a toe hitch, a bike rack on the back. The bike rack gives a bit more weight past the rear wheels, and makes it hook up nicely on sketchy low speed roads. These are nearly bomb proof vehicles. You can sleep in them, pull others out of a ditch, and there a LOADS of aftermarket parts. Very capable small SUVs. Also easy to get with a few mods to nearly 400 crank HP.
Me too. I'll do the same. I don't care what it looks like, but I keep an eye on the body. Last time I went to the car wash it took all the paint off the back end. Would have cost over $1,000 to fix, so I chose a different path. Bought a lovely sticky back shelf paper and I get lots of compliments. I like looking at it like that. Good luck to you and me both.
I owned a 2001 CRV for about 13 years and loved it. Also a northern car in Chicago. Very reliable car. It had close to 190k when it was stolen. We used the table doing garage sales!
I just bought a 2001 crv (in blue) and it’s amazing. I’m coming from a manual 2012 lancer to the auto fwd crv and it’s definitely nicer. So much better for build quality and responsiveness. I thought I’d miss the features but so far the only thing I can see myself missing are the heated seats, but even then I’d only turn them on the first 5 mins of the drive. My lancer has 225k on it and the crv 240k (km), I can see the crv going for many more years to come while the lancer maybe 5. It’s definitely built to last! If you’re in a similar boat to me “downgrading” from a newer car, any feature you think you’ll miss (like Bluetooth) you can install it very easily in the crv and you won’t regret the change!
My grandmother owned a 1999 Honda CRV LX FWD with the automatic. She owned it brand new from 1999-2018 before the transmission went out. Definitely was a reliable truck with plenty of space!
ive owned six 1st gen crvs , one i owned for 10 years which i sold it last year then bought it back this summer . i have had very little issues with them aside from the usual wear and tear . new timing belt,cv axles and two distributors in a decade they are just great all arounders , perfect vehicles for Alaska where -40s are the highs in winter plus the awd is nice on snow and ice
1999 CRV 5MT. 325K miles. I have had the drive shaft out. U-joints wore out. Replaced it after a month or so. Does not like steep gravel or dirt driveways with only FWD. It makes about 1 MPG difference. In fact, the 2WD vs AWD versions window stickers also report about a 1 MPG difference. We've owned ours since new. I've done about 99% of the maintenance and repair - and it has not required alot of repairs. I'd buy another one brand new if I could. I had two complaints - it needs a 6th gear to drop interstate revs down another 300-400 rpm perhaps. Also needs more interior noise control. If I could buy this same vehicle with electric drive and ~250 miles of range I would be very happy with that too. Don't want a bunch of touch screens. Just need the EX equipment - air, cruise, single DIN AM/FM/CD/aux/bluetooth, AWD, and a roof rack. Power windows/steering/brakes are nice too.
Will add that it has the original air conditioner compressor and the AWD has been trouble free. I do change the AWD fluid (front at transmission and back between the wheels, different fluids) every few years or any time it makes a noise. Works great. Believe it or not the a/c has only received part of one car of Freon in its existence.
I live in South Jersey and I have a black '98 CRV that I drove off the dealer's lot in March of that year and it's been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. It now has a little over 303K miles on the odometer and it just won't quit. Up until several years ago it had the original starter and it's still riding around with the original fuel pump. It also still has the original alternator but I replaced the brushes in it around seven years ago. I've done some upgrades on it over the years like replacing the taillights with the red/clear version because I wasn't fond of the amber in the factory lights. I replaced the outside door handles with chrome handles and I have chrome covers on my outside mirrors. I also replaced the spare tire cover with a continental style cover which has an abs cover with a polished stainless steel surround. I painted the abs cover black to match the body. I also replaced the factory wheels with five-spoke aftermarket wheels. I used the picnic table as a template for the 3/4" MDF top of my stealth sub enclosure in which the enclosure is made of fiberglass that was made by using the factory cooler/storage container as a mold. It houses a 12" Ascendant Audio 12" Arsenal sub which is receiving 600 watts. I also built MDF/fiberglass kick panel pods for my Aura Mobile Reference 6.1 component speakers. I also painted my valve cover red. I've found brake caliper paint to hold up much better on the valve cover than engine paint. My auto trans finally died around twenty months ago at the 298,600 mile mark and I replaced it with a used one which had 181K miles on it. It's been working like a charm from the moment I installed it around 17 months ago. The first gen V's are mules which refuse to die. If maintained properly they're just incredibly reliable. Job # 1 is to check/adjust the valve clearance every 40K miles or thereabouts. Some owners do it every 30K miles but I've found that to be overkill. I slowly expanded the interval to see how far I could take it and I now do it every 50K miles.
My husband and I bought a 1998 CRV, that was that same color back in 2000, right after we got married. We brought both of our babies home from the hospital in it, along with countless trips and memories. It was a beast. It was solid! It was the first of 3 CRVs that we would own in 20 years. We regrettably traded our 98 in for or 2005, that we call “Red.” My husband had a 1998 green Ford Ranger at that time and we opted to keep it so we could have a truck around. It was not as reliable. We kicked ourselves a lot for trading the CRV in. We kept the 2005 in the family. My dad now drives it and it’s pushing 300k miles. It’s also a beast. We got a 2013 in 2015 and it was our main car until New Years Eve 2022, when we decided it was time to graduate to a Honda Pilot! Our son now drives the CRV. This one is also a beast and has nearly a quarter of a million miles on it! Side note, the second you put your cup in the cup holder I had to laugh. It was a feature I hated the most. I found myself yelling “Hold on to your cup when you turn!” I can’t tell you how many drinks I lost to the shallowness of that cup holder and making a turn. Thankfully something Honda fixed in the next generation! I really enjoyed the step down memory lane! Another side note: When passing the 2005 along to my dad. We kept the picnic table in it. My husband cut a piece of plywood to fit in the space. He has no need for it. We use it for all kinds of things and is a neat memento of our CRV.
Not a huge Honda fan, but these are some of the coolest vehicles they ever made and the 90's CRV's IMO look better than anything they made afterwards. Why people want giant trucks/crossovers over something like this is beyond me. I don't even think the Pilot comes close. EDIT: POP OUT CUP HOLDERS FIT THE BFB? IS THIS A FIRST?!
Let me tell you my aunt bought a fully loaded 98 CRV in late 97 and that thing made it too 455,000 miles before they sold it for 2500 last year. The only issues I can ever remember is the ac compressor constantly going out and something with the rear differential once after the car already had over 260,000 miles. Best little SUV ever. During this same period I purchased a Geo Tracker LSi loaded and another family member bought a 98 Kia Sportage EX. The Tracker stayed with me for 7 years until I could no longer stand the weak 95hp engine and the rattles of the rear gate it had about 205,000 miles when I sold it now the Kia didn't fare as well considering before 50,000 miles the auto transmission had been replaced and the check engine light always glowed. It ended up breaking down going back to Kia and sitting at the dealership for almost a year before they said forget this and traded it in at the Kia dealership for a used Toyota Rav4
I have a '98 CRV that I purchased new in March of that year. It currently has 300,800 miles and the old girl just won't die. The auto trans finally died the first week of this year at the 298,600 mark but I found a used AT with 181K on it on ebay from a yard in AZ. It was my first time removing and installing an AT but I studied online tutorials for procedures and tips and everything worked out great....works like a charm. I've done all the maintenance on it over the years and the #1 thing to keep tabs on is to check and adjust if necessary the valve clearance. Some guys do it every 30K miles but I've slowly stretched the interval to 50K without an issue because I felt doing it every 30K was overkill. If maintained properly the first gen V's are mules which refuse to die.
@@joepearlzz8504 On the used one that I installed? If that's the one you're talking about then the answer is yes...several times in fact and I also installed a filter afterwards.
I forgot to mention that I'm still driving around with the original fuel pump, alternator(although I did replace the brushes around five-seven years ago) and I finally had to replace the original starter two years ago. I never checked but I assumed the starter wasn't still under warranty...LOL! I sure do wish Honda made vehicles like this today because I first fell in love with the brand when my childhood buddy took me for a ride in his brand new '82 Accord sedan. I was amazed at the refinement and comfort in such a small car....and the engine purred like a kitten. I became an instant fan and I just had to have one someday. Three years later I bought an '85 Civic sedan and three years after that I traded it in on an '88 Accord LX sedan which I owned for 14 years. Sadly, Honda ain't quite what it used to be. BTW, I live in South Jersey, not far from the Jersey Shore ;)
The picnic table, as the story goes, it was designed for the Japanese version, where you can swivel both the driver and front passenger seats to face the back, and have the table installed in the vehicles to eat or play cards, etc.
You’re my new favourite car reviewer, especially like your backseat reviews on every vehicle, being a dad I like getting a good perspective on that. And really love all the older vehicles and base models that you do I think it’s an untapped review market
Even if the all-wheel-drive system was still intact on this car most likely it would still be operating in front wheel drive mode. The system only activates when the front wheels slip. That is very nice shade of green I don't know if Honda got the memo but Dark Shades of Green are starting to come back.
I have a 99 with the exact same green. Just finishing up my winter prep. Same body coloured mirrors. That one looks amazing. The trim is so black. Same factory rims. Tell the owner to remove the plastic rocker covers and paint the rockers with rust paint and then spray with fluid film. Take out the rear speakers and do the same in those cavities. That’s weird he had problems with the distributor other than maybe used an aftermarket one. The good thing is there’s a ton of these at wreckers to get cheap spare parts. I grabbed a new looking distributor as a spare, and a fuel pump, a set of injectors, a radiator when I needed one, even a muffler. Tell Bobby to join the CRV owner’s club. The AWD is the best feature. Never let me down in Canadian winters. It’s my winter beater car. I use it for at least 7 months of the year 😂😂😂
my brothers first car was my Grandmas 1999 Honda CRV, it ran strong for a long time until oil/motor issues caused the Engine to stop working it was a really cool and comfy.
I own a green 1st gen CRV. And I love it. A ball joint snapped last year and it's been sitting but it's gonna get fixed. 2nd gear slips in pretty much all of these. But it's an incredible SUV.
I can relate having a need for a clock in the car. My center dashboard LED digital clock crapped out after 10 years. Dealer wanted $300 to replace one. I told them to shove it
@@SambarDad We did exactly that. Cold solder joints crack and fail. I reflowed each solder joint with a hot soldering pencil and the clock worked great.
Tengo una honda 1998 y es una máquina 4×4 doble es un vehículo muy versátil cómodo es camioneta y sedan pues es muy suave su motor 2.0 es muy economico su caja automática me permite recorrer 400 o 500 kmts sin tanto stress de tal manera que este vehículo aunque sea de la primera generación no le falta nada de una honda de tercera generación mi camioneta es completa es la mejor honda.
I’m in the Uk, I have a 99 in the same Green, mine’s manual and only done 73000 miles. It’s sitting on 17” Honda civic alloys. It’s really heavy on fuel. Just over 300 miles/ tank. Roughly £80 to fill 😬
To the owner, pull the dash clock out and solder all of the major components (there’s a RUclips video). Brought my 2001 crv clock back to perfect working order.
Ha, I own four cars, and Daily Drive a 2001 the same color. What I really like is the size, it's perfect. Drawback is that it has no power, but it is fuel efficient. I fill up once every 3 weeks.
127hp from a 2.0 isn't bad, IMO. The RAV4 of the same year which also had a 2.0 had about 119hp, almost 10hp less from the same displacement. Toyota eventually gave the RAV4 more power with the second generation.
Gotta say good car. My grandma had one but man it broke often. Granted it had a lot of miles and no engine issues though but we had to replace a lot of stuff
My uncle had a '97 CR-V until he got rid of it a few years ago. He bought it used around 2001ish, and drove it all the way until about 2019. He put 310k miles on it until the transmission stopped working. Shortly after, it fixed itself somehow and started shifting again like normal. He got rid of right after that.. I wonder if it's still out there somewhere.
In Novosibirsk, salt is poured on the roads in winter, because of this, cars rot very quickly, thresholds and arches in the first place. And body repair now costs like the floor of a car.
I have a 1999 Crv Ex with 127k miles I almost scraped it because I thought the tranny went out! It turned out that it was on limp mode and I finally have her on the road again
Thanks so much for this review, Zack. I'm looking to sell my ND2 for this guy next year. I gotta pull up my big boy pants and get a home instead of dropping money into an (relatively) expensive ride. It was either the first gen CRV or RAV4. But here in Ontario the first gen RAV4's are over double the price of a CRV. The quirks and features of the Honda sold me haha
I’ve owned my 2001 crv for about a year now and it is my first car, the more time that passes the more I fall in love with it. I am an absolute Honda fan all of my family has ever driven were Hondas, and I am completely and utterly OBSESSED with the first gen crv they last forever and day by day are fewer and fewer crvs these are a national treasure so if you don’t want yours or are trying to sell and get rid of it pass em my way. 😂❤
I have a 98 model and it has now done 305.000 km, I have had it since 2003, I was planning to drive it till it quit and then get something else but it just does not quit and in the end the wife said enough is enough and we bought a newer CRV. But I kept the old one and I am still rolling on my Gen 1, love it :)
I purchased my Red 2001 Honda Crv new, and I am still driving it. The car needs new brake lines, a new driver window motor, and there is some rust over the back passenger side. I do not dog my cars, and the interior has no worn and tear, and it literally looks like a new car and that includes the cargo area. The car is the prettiest sad of red, and the shines like a new car.
Btw, have you had any clunking noises in the front suspension that are hard to diagnose? I’m having a hard time finding the clunk in mine even after putting in new struts and sway bar bushings and end links. Two different shops have failed to resolve the issue. Thanks!
I had one. Paid around $1000 for it in early 2017. October I was rammed on the highway and nearly got killed. Taken out by a Korean subcompact. Totalled both cars. Only problem I had was the radiator. Replaced. Definitely lacked power. Mounts and brake lines rotted.
I had a 99 CRV with the table in the spare tire area. I'm just at the beginning of your video so you may have already covered that. I wasn't a big fan of the shifter location
Both the driver and pass front and rear seats can be folded flat into beds for camping. I toured the southern states for two weeks sleeping out of mine.
"Why Honda did this..." Probably for the same reason they put the "bed" seat option on these. Also, the table is exactly the right height to use while sitting on the rear bumper.
The one thing people always forget is you can fold all the seats to make a bed .. i love the 1st gen crv.. my favorite car ever i had 2 of them so far in life
Zack, bless your heart for being so sweet. Wonderful and lovely review near and dear to my heart especially mentioning my children and job. I had the time of my life on that trip. Will be back again soon...
It’s nice to see a fellow 1st gen owner with pride of ownership. I have a 1999 model year that my wife no longer wanted because she felt she deserved a new car so I just kept it in the family as a pool car. I love this tinny little thing, it’s fun to drive and so basic. I too have pride of ownership and it’s fun to do little projects on it. Hope to see you on Facebook for 1st gen CRV owners if you aren’t already a member. Respects from Los Angeles.
That car definitely has some driver side sag in the suspension. Time for new springs and struts!
This is the type of car I have, except mines a manual. It’s older than me and I fucking adore this little car!! It’s done over 300,000 km and it hasn’t shown any signs of quitting anytime soon
I have a 1997 CRV with 1,075,000 and counting. She drives like a champ still. 2 transmission but original motor. I just did the head gasket and timing 3 months ago for the 2nd time in my 698,000 mi of ownership.
What are you doing for valve adjustment? That is incredible
My buddy has a 1999 CRV that we all call “The ‘99” and it has taken us to many places and back. Thing’s a real tank I really feel like it does not want to go down 😂
This was my first car, I kind of wish I had one again. These were built like a tank and did really well in the Minnesota winters
I can confirm that this generation of Honda's are ridiculously well built. I have a 1997 Civic with over 353K miles with very few repairs. Original engine and transmission, original AC system, original steering and suspension minus the outer tie rod ends that just started to wear out, even original starter and alternator. But the most impressive thing to me is how well it held up and drives! The engine still sounds and feels new and doesn't burn oil, the transmission shifts like new, no warning lights are on, the suspension still feels new, there are no clunks, squeaks, or rattles, and everything still works as it should except the volume knob on the radio.
I had a 1st generation odyssey.
Absolute turd but it ran and drove with 400,000 miles and had to be started with a screwdriver.
Amazingly the power moonroof still worked!
@@Fdjt4ever Nice! I always liked the style of the first gen Odyssey. If I had to drive a minivan, that would be the one I'd pick.
Mine has done 413,000 km ( Australia) & still drives great! It just goes & goes!😊
I remember back in the 90s nobody wanted these and now they are kind of a cult classic. I guess the same can be said for lots of older japanese vehicles.
🎶Don't know what ya got til it's gone🎶
the 2 different climate control vents at 3:55 are for different functions. The top one is for the window defrost and the bottom one is the actual climate control vent
Great review, Zack! I used to have a 2000 CR-V AWD, same color as this one but with the 5-speed manual, awesome little car! This review brought back many amazing memories I had with that car, helping people move, plowing through snow drifts, commuting to several different jobs, road trips, and camping trips (The picnic table was great for this!). I sadly had to scrap the old CR-V at nearly 300,000 miles. It had a misfire, pretty bad rust, an oil leak, and the clutch finally gave out so I knew it was time to move on but I'll never forget how fun that little car was to drive. I know it's a cliché saying but they really don't make them like that anymore!
I've since upgraded to a slightly newer 2004 CR-V AWD 5MT which is in almost every aspect a superior vehicle, but without the same "soul" that my old green machine had. Watching this review was like stepping back in time and brought back many memories of bittersweet moments I had in my life while I had that car. I'm happy that I could take that brief trip! Cheers.
Darker shades of green are starting to come back to the car market but I haven't really seen anything quite like this CR-V with the exception of one Land Rover. Current cars tend to lean toward forest green or military.
I looked at a second generation at auction. I’m sure the Vtec k series engine is much better to drive but the interior is just horrific. The door cards have this loose load king fabric and the parking brake handle is just weird. Dash looks weird. Thing is who cares? If well kept it will last and last.
My high school band director had a blurple one of these. I kept seeing around town for years after he traded it. That green looks fantastic. It's crazy that this used to be considered normal-sized but is now the size of the HR-V. This is more of a tall Civic wagon with a lift kit. I'm glad someone is saving these mundane commuter cars that were intended to be used and disposed of.
I don't think they were intended to be disposed of
I can definitely back the "it just keeps going" attitude. I have a 2000 Gen 1 that I rolled. It is old, and needs some bushings now, and a new front drivers side axl.. But it drives amazing. I threw a bull bar (cow, protester) catcher on the front (which actually gives me a lot more grip in the front due to its weight), a roof rack for overall use, and a toe hitch, a bike rack on the back. The bike rack gives a bit more weight past the rear wheels, and makes it hook up nicely on sketchy low speed roads. These are nearly bomb proof vehicles. You can sleep in them, pull others out of a ditch, and there a LOADS of aftermarket parts. Very capable small SUVs. Also easy to get with a few mods to nearly 400 crank HP.
I'll keep mine until the body rots beyond repair 👍👍
Body mounts rotted? Mine were
Only reason I got rod of mine. 300k but the body had rotted to the point it was unsafe.
You sure know how to close out your videos 👍🏻
Me too. I'll do the same. I don't care what it looks like, but I keep an eye on the body. Last time I went to the car wash it took all the paint off the back end. Would have cost over $1,000 to fix, so I chose a different path. Bought a lovely sticky back shelf paper and I get lots of compliments. I like looking at it like that. Good luck to you and me both.
Is there any videos on checking the condition of the frame?
I owned a 2001 CRV for about 13 years and loved it. Also a northern car in Chicago. Very reliable car. It had close to 190k when it was stolen. We used the table doing garage sales!
I just bought a 2001 crv (in blue) and it’s amazing. I’m coming from a manual 2012 lancer to the auto fwd crv and it’s definitely nicer. So much better for build quality and responsiveness. I thought I’d miss the features but so far the only thing I can see myself missing are the heated seats, but even then I’d only turn them on the first 5 mins of the drive. My lancer has 225k on it and the crv 240k (km), I can see the crv going for many more years to come while the lancer maybe 5. It’s definitely built to last! If you’re in a similar boat to me “downgrading” from a newer car, any feature you think you’ll miss (like Bluetooth) you can install it very easily in the crv and you won’t regret the change!
My grandmother owned a 1999 Honda CRV LX FWD with the automatic. She owned it brand new from 1999-2018 before the transmission went out. Definitely was a reliable truck with plenty of space!
ive owned six 1st gen crvs , one i owned for 10 years which i sold it last year then bought it back this summer . i have had very little issues with them aside from the usual wear and tear . new timing belt,cv axles and two distributors in a decade
they are just great all arounders , perfect vehicles for Alaska where -40s are the highs in winter plus the awd is nice on snow and ice
the first gen CRV has such beauty and class it's still the best looking of all CRVs and RAV4s
I thought the picnic table is because the theme of the car. Something (compact?) Recreational Vehicle. Recreation, picnic table. Seems fitting to me.
1999 CRV 5MT. 325K miles. I have had the drive shaft out. U-joints wore out. Replaced it after a month or so. Does not like steep gravel or dirt driveways with only FWD. It makes about 1 MPG difference. In fact, the 2WD vs AWD versions window stickers also report about a 1 MPG difference. We've owned ours since new. I've done about 99% of the maintenance and repair - and it has not required alot of repairs. I'd buy another one brand new if I could. I had two complaints - it needs a 6th gear to drop interstate revs down another 300-400 rpm perhaps. Also needs more interior noise control. If I could buy this same vehicle with electric drive and ~250 miles of range I would be very happy with that too. Don't want a bunch of touch screens. Just need the EX equipment - air, cruise, single DIN AM/FM/CD/aux/bluetooth, AWD, and a roof rack. Power windows/steering/brakes are nice too.
Will add that it has the original air conditioner compressor and the AWD has been trouble free. I do change the AWD fluid (front at transmission and back between the wheels, different fluids) every few years or any time it makes a noise. Works great. Believe it or not the a/c has only received part of one car of Freon in its existence.
My 1st gen crv is the most reliable vehicle ive ever owned. And if there is anything needing repaired, the parts are dirt cheap.
1st gen CRV owner and I have to say that is the cleanest 1st gen I have ever seen especially with the matching hard spare tire cover
Thank you. I use Maguire's Ultimate liquid wax plus 303 Graphine spray wax once a month....
I live in South Jersey and I have a black '98 CRV that I drove off the dealer's lot in March of that year and it's been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. It now has a little over 303K miles on the odometer and it just won't quit. Up until several years ago it had the original starter and it's still riding around with the original fuel pump. It also still has the original alternator but I replaced the brushes in it around seven years ago. I've done some upgrades on it over the years like replacing the taillights with the red/clear version because I wasn't fond of the amber in the factory lights. I replaced the outside door handles with chrome handles and I have chrome covers on my outside mirrors. I also replaced the spare tire cover with a continental style cover which has an abs cover with a polished stainless steel surround. I painted the abs cover black to match the body. I also replaced the factory wheels with five-spoke aftermarket wheels. I used the picnic table as a template for the 3/4" MDF top of my stealth sub enclosure in which the enclosure is made of fiberglass that was made by using the factory cooler/storage container as a mold. It houses a 12" Ascendant Audio 12" Arsenal sub which is receiving 600 watts. I also built MDF/fiberglass kick panel pods for my Aura Mobile Reference 6.1 component speakers. I also painted my valve cover red. I've found brake caliper paint to hold up much better on the valve cover than engine paint. My auto trans finally died around twenty months ago at the 298,600 mile mark and I replaced it with a used one which had 181K miles on it. It's been working like a charm from the moment I installed it around 17 months ago. The first gen V's are mules which refuse to die. If maintained properly they're just incredibly reliable. Job # 1 is to check/adjust the valve clearance every 40K miles or thereabouts. Some owners do it every 30K miles but I've found that to be overkill. I slowly expanded the interval to see how far I could take it and I now do it every 50K miles.
My husband and I bought a 1998 CRV, that was that same color back in 2000, right after we got married. We brought both of our babies home from the hospital in it, along with countless trips and memories. It was a beast. It was solid! It was the first of 3 CRVs that we would own in 20 years. We regrettably traded our 98 in for or 2005, that we call “Red.” My husband had a 1998 green Ford Ranger at that time and we opted to keep it so we could have a truck around. It was not as reliable. We kicked ourselves a lot for trading the CRV in. We kept the 2005 in the family. My dad now drives it and it’s pushing 300k miles. It’s also a beast. We got a 2013 in 2015 and it was our main car until New Years Eve 2022, when we decided it was time to graduate to a Honda Pilot! Our son now drives the CRV. This one is also a beast and has nearly a quarter of a million miles on it!
Side note, the second you put your cup in the cup holder I had to laugh. It was a feature I hated the most. I found myself yelling “Hold on to your cup when you turn!” I can’t tell you how many drinks I lost to the shallowness of that cup holder and making a turn. Thankfully something Honda fixed in the next generation! I really enjoyed the step down memory lane!
Another side note: When passing the 2005 along to my dad. We kept the picnic table in it. My husband cut a piece of plywood to fit in the space. He has no need for it. We use it for all kinds of things and is a neat memento of our CRV.
I love my 99 CRV and I'm glad you made a video reviewing one!
My grandma gave me her ‘98 CRV with 96k original miles.
It’s my first car… Probably gonna be my last. 😂
Not a huge Honda fan, but these are some of the coolest vehicles they ever made and the 90's CRV's IMO look better than anything they made afterwards.
Why people want giant trucks/crossovers over something like this is beyond me. I don't even think the Pilot comes close.
EDIT: POP OUT CUP HOLDERS FIT THE BFB? IS THIS A FIRST?!
Let me tell you my aunt bought a fully loaded 98 CRV in late 97 and that thing made it too 455,000 miles before they sold it for 2500 last year. The only issues I can ever remember is the ac compressor constantly going out and something with the rear differential once after the car already had over 260,000 miles. Best little SUV ever. During this same period I purchased a Geo Tracker LSi loaded and another family member bought a 98 Kia Sportage EX. The Tracker stayed with me for 7 years until I could no longer stand the weak 95hp engine and the rattles of the rear gate it had about 205,000 miles when I sold it now the Kia didn't fare as well considering before 50,000 miles the auto transmission had been replaced and the check engine light always glowed. It ended up breaking down going back to Kia and sitting at the dealership for almost a year before they said forget this and traded it in at the Kia dealership for a used Toyota Rav4
I test drove one in a manual back in 1998 or so. It shifted great just like a good 90s Honda
I have a '98 CRV that I purchased new in March of that year. It currently has 300,800 miles and the old girl just won't die. The auto trans finally died the first week of this year at the 298,600 mark but I found a used AT with 181K on it on ebay from a yard in AZ. It was my first time removing and installing an AT but I studied online tutorials for procedures and tips and everything worked out great....works like a charm. I've done all the maintenance on it over the years and the #1 thing to keep tabs on is to check and adjust if necessary the valve clearance. Some guys do it every 30K miles but I've slowly stretched the interval to 50K without an issue because I felt doing it every 30K was overkill. If maintained properly the first gen V's are mules which refuse to die.
Did you ever change the transmission oil?
@@joepearlzz8504 On the used one that I installed? If that's the one you're talking about then the answer is yes...several times in fact and I also installed a filter afterwards.
I forgot to mention that I'm still driving around with the original fuel pump, alternator(although I did replace the brushes around five-seven years ago) and I finally had to replace the original starter two years ago. I never checked but I assumed the starter wasn't still under warranty...LOL! I sure do wish Honda made vehicles like this today because I first fell in love with the brand when my childhood buddy took me for a ride in his brand new '82 Accord sedan. I was amazed at the refinement and comfort in such a small car....and the engine purred like a kitten. I became an instant fan and I just had to have one someday. Three years later I bought an '85 Civic sedan and three years after that I traded it in on an '88 Accord LX sedan which I owned for 14 years. Sadly, Honda ain't quite what it used to be. BTW, I live in South Jersey, not far from the Jersey Shore ;)
@@hondaphan4172 i meant on the old original transmission since it died
@@joepearlzz8504Oh, of course. In fact, I change my ATF roughly every 20K miles. The original lasted 298,600 miles
Can second that out of experience. This car kept on going despite my abuse. Quickly noticed it was designed to be a small, SUV than a crossover.
The picnic table, as the story goes, it was designed for the Japanese version, where you can swivel both the driver and front passenger seats to face the back, and have the table installed in the vehicles to eat or play cards, etc.
You’re my new favourite car reviewer, especially like your backseat reviews on every vehicle, being a dad I like getting a good perspective on that. And really love all the older vehicles and base models that you do I think it’s an untapped review market
You never miss, anytime I’m lookin for a review of a random old ish normal car. You’ve aways got a quality review on it and it’s so helpful
Even if the all-wheel-drive system was still intact on this car most likely it would still be operating in front wheel drive mode. The system only activates when the front wheels slip. That is very nice shade of green I don't know if Honda got the memo but Dark Shades of Green are starting to come back.
I have a 99 with the exact same green. Just finishing up my winter prep. Same body coloured mirrors. That one looks amazing. The trim is so black. Same factory rims.
Tell the owner to remove the plastic rocker covers and paint the rockers with rust paint and then spray with fluid film.
Take out the rear speakers and do the same in those cavities.
That’s weird he had problems with the distributor other than maybe used an aftermarket one. The good thing is there’s a ton of these at wreckers to get cheap spare parts. I grabbed a new looking distributor as a spare, and a fuel pump, a set of injectors, a radiator when I needed one, even a muffler.
Tell Bobby to join the CRV owner’s club.
The AWD is the best feature. Never let me down in Canadian winters. It’s my winter beater car. I use it for at least 7 months of the year 😂😂😂
These first gen CR-Vs and also most definitely the RAV4s were excellent vehicles
my brothers first car was my Grandmas 1999 Honda CRV, it ran strong for a long time until oil/motor issues caused the Engine to stop working it was a really cool and comfy.
That is their Achilles heel: the engine needs oil 😂😂😂
Got a 2001! These are some of the best cars on the road! 208k miles hoping to get another 100k at least!
I own a green 1st gen CRV. And I love it. A ball joint snapped last year and it's been sitting but it's gonna get fixed.
2nd gear slips in pretty much all of these. But it's an incredible SUV.
Years ago had a 2001 EX with the manual. Was a great little car
I love your final thoughts so much!
This and the 2nd generation crv are the only ones I like lol and I miss when Honda was quirky and fun
I can relate having a need for a clock in the car. My center dashboard LED digital clock crapped out after 10 years.
Dealer wanted $300 to replace one. I told them to shove it
A lot of older dash clocks can we soldered to bring them back to life. Might give that a shot.
@@SambarDad We did exactly that. Cold solder joints crack and fail. I reflowed each solder joint with a hot soldering pencil and the clock worked great.
the only reason i could think of distributors going out is if you get a cheepy one instead of oem
hope the timing belt has been done .
Still have my 01. I’ve done a lot of maintenance on it but it still going after 230k miles
Tengo una honda 1998 y es una máquina 4×4 doble es un vehículo muy versátil cómodo es camioneta y sedan pues es muy suave su motor 2.0 es muy economico su caja automática me permite recorrer 400 o 500 kmts sin tanto stress de tal manera que este vehículo aunque sea de la primera generación no le falta nada de una honda de tercera generación mi camioneta es completa es la mejor honda.
I am going to look at this exact model today. i haven't ever owned one but i am getting a little happy about the chance . LOL it is white.
0:11 oh deer
I’m in the Uk, I have a 99 in the same Green, mine’s manual and only done 73000 miles. It’s sitting on 17” Honda civic alloys. It’s really heavy on fuel. Just over 300 miles/ tank. Roughly £80 to fill 😬
To the owner, pull the dash clock out and solder all of the major components (there’s a RUclips video). Brought my 2001 crv clock back to perfect working order.
Ha, I own four cars, and Daily Drive a 2001 the same color. What I really like is the size, it's perfect. Drawback is that it has no power, but it is fuel efficient. I fill up once every 3 weeks.
Been driving my 2000 CR-V for 22 years. The most reliable vehicle I've ever owned.
127hp from a 2.0 isn't bad, IMO. The RAV4 of the same year which also had a 2.0 had about 119hp, almost 10hp less from the same displacement. Toyota eventually gave the RAV4 more power with the second generation.
1999 CR-V had 146 HP.
I've been waiting for this video!
They have the table because they're meant for offroad and adventure
Just Bought one last week all ready love it. Just need s a little work .
Gotta say good car. My grandma had one but man it broke often. Granted it had a lot of miles and no engine issues though but we had to replace a lot of stuff
My uncle had a '97 CR-V until he got rid of it a few years ago. He bought it used around 2001ish, and drove it all the way until about 2019. He put 310k miles on it until the transmission stopped working. Shortly after, it fixed itself somehow and started shifting again like normal. He got rid of right after that.. I wonder if it's still out there somewhere.
In Novosibirsk, salt is poured on the roads in winter, because of this, cars rot very quickly, thresholds and arches in the first place. And body repair now costs like the floor of a car.
I have a 1999 Crv Ex with 127k miles I almost scraped it because I thought the tranny went out! It turned out that it was on limp mode and I finally have her on the road again
Great video! I still have my CRV and running strong, bought it new in 2001! Only issue burnt valves.
Great review. Liked the NJ shout-outs. I have a 2000 5 speed manual transmission CR-V.
ilove the golf ball trim
Thanks so much for this review, Zack. I'm looking to sell my ND2 for this guy next year. I gotta pull up my big boy pants and get a home instead of dropping money into an (relatively) expensive ride. It was either the first gen CRV or RAV4. But here in Ontario the first gen RAV4's are over double the price of a CRV. The quirks and features of the Honda sold me haha
Smart call on making that FWD.
That thing is gorgeous.
Always loved the 1st gen CR-V❤️
He needs a DigiDizzy Digital Distributor, Plug and play, no more distributor issues, I've had mine for many years!!!
After more than 20 years, I’m still seeing lots of these gen 1s running around great
I love honda in general best car manufacturer
From what I've been told, CRV stands for Civic Recreational Vehicle
It stands for comfortable recreational vehicle
@@parker1038 It's actually Comfortable Runabout Vehicle
Great video of a great car 👍
That green is the color I most associate with the first gen CR-V. Well, that and Electron Blue. 😊
Watching this makes me want one.
I’ve owned my 2001 crv for about a year now and it is my first car, the more time that passes the more I fall in love with it. I am an absolute Honda fan all of my family has ever driven were Hondas, and I am completely and utterly OBSESSED with the first gen crv they last forever and day by day are fewer and fewer crvs these are a national treasure so if you don’t want yours or are trying to sell and get rid of it pass em my way. 😂❤
I have a 98 model and it has now done 305.000 km, I have had it since 2003, I was planning to drive it till it quit and then get something else but it just does not quit and in the end the wife said enough is enough and we bought a newer CRV. But I kept the old one and I am still rolling on my Gen 1, love it :)
I purchased my Red 2001 Honda Crv new, and I am still driving it. The car needs new brake lines, a new driver window motor, and there is some rust over the back passenger side. I do not dog my cars, and the interior has no worn and tear, and it literally looks like a new car and that includes the cargo area. The car is the prettiest sad of red, and the shines like a new car.
Yea the interior is bulletproof. My 01 looks new inside. Wish I could say the same for the paint😢
Btw, have you had any clunking noises in the front suspension that are hard to diagnose? I’m having a hard time finding the clunk in mine even after putting in new struts and sway bar bushings and end links. Two different shops have failed to resolve the issue. Thanks!
@@gomertube A-arm bushings.
Online suppliers like RockAuto have parts cheap for this generation of CRV.
@@joeaverager what’s an “A-arm” bushing? Can you spell it out?
Shoot shout out to you for this badass review brother.... im now a subscriber forsure💯
Keep up the good work and god bless
GREAT REVIEW -- I've subscribed. Thanks
I had a neighbor that had this car! Crazy how she is still driving it and looks very well taken car off.
I have a 99 crv, the front cup holder can’t even hold a 16-32 oz cup filled. When making a turn it will spill n fall
I've been on the hunt for one!
Been too long since I last saw a car passing the BFB test 😂
I had one. Paid around $1000 for it in early 2017.
October I was rammed on the highway and nearly got killed.
Taken out by a Korean subcompact. Totalled both cars.
Only problem I had was the radiator. Replaced.
Definitely lacked power.
Mounts and brake lines rotted.
Can you review a 2005 hyundai santa fe pls
The Honda CR v-series with a 700 horsepower V8.
3:25 NJ IN DA HOUSE!!!!
I got the same car exactly its just stayed 4x4 . And you just showed me that table ! Is so nice actually
I had a 99 CRV with the table in the spare tire area. I'm just at the beginning of your video so you may have already covered that. I wasn't a big fan of the shifter location
Both the driver and pass front and rear seats can be folded flat into beds for camping. I toured the southern states for two weeks sleeping out of mine.
Useless fact. The front seats and rear seats can be folded in a way that lines up and kinda works as a bed.
Only on some models. My CRV doesn't. Would be nice though.
"Why Honda did this..."
Probably for the same reason they put the "bed" seat option on these.
Also, the table is exactly the right height to use while sitting on the rear bumper.
I used to want this as my first car but it was hard to find one. ended up getting a 2001 jeep grand cherokee.
The one thing people always forget is you can fold all the seats to make a bed .. i love the 1st gen crv.. my favorite car ever i had 2 of them so far in life
My dad daily drives his with 316k miles on it.
Lol bro never seen a cassette player before I can tell 😂 I'm from near Chicago too aye you should review ford ranger next fam
Never knew the old passports were Isuzu
Jersey gang!! Waddup!!!
Wait I’m confused, if this is a 1999 CRV isn’t supposed to have 146HP? Not a 126HP as he mentioned?
Your right, he got it wrong. The engine in this video is 146 HP. You can always tell because it has a Plenum, the 97/98 did not.
I found a clean 99 crv with only 114K miles for $4K. Debating if i want to check it out, maybe buy. What do u think?