... the fine example of motoring which would become mine: the 1991 Honda CRX.
Now normally I was a stick-shift girl, having owned three consecutively, and I was noticeably disappointed when I noted the big knobby thing with a button on it protruding from the position where one would find the ... Read review
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It was the summer of '96, and I was a '90s girl. I was happy with my life (and Mitsubishi Lancer GLX) and thought it was complete.. that was until I laid eyes on her...
I'm talking about the beautiful piece of machinery parked on the corner car lot, the black stallion gleaming in the sunlight.. the fine example of motoring which would become mine: the 1991 Honda CRX.
Now normally I was a stick-shift girl, having owned three consecutively, and I was noticeably disappointed when I noted the big knobby thing with a button on it protruding from the position where one would find the gears.. but I was a woman of the world and was willing to give it a go - and with absolutely no persuasion from the salesman I was buckled in and cruising around the streets for my (very extensive) test drive in no time..
Upon my return he almost had to have me surgically removed, and before you could say "would you like it on credit?".. I was asking where I could sign!
I was a CRX girl.
This car I owned for almost 3 years and during this time I had NO trouble whatsoever, I was a little relaxed with the servicing yet the car never used any oil, the water in the radiator was always the same (no usage).
The model was the short style with a glass boot, you can compare it to a Honda Civic (but with a flat behind) equipped with a smallish 1600cc engine with twin carbs, but when I say small this car could do 120km/hr and still be as smooth as 50km/hr - luckily it was a Japanese import and the little bell would go if I went over 110, it would have been so easy to do 140 without even knowing it!.
A sporty car with two doors, and a very small back seat (a very soft leatherette) and a reasonable sized trunk for the groceries. The two seats up front were similar to Recaro racing seats where there was lumbar support and moulding around the waist - a very comfortable car to ride in.. also all the mod cons like air conditioning, factory speakers (not the budget variety, good sound quality) which coupled with a decent CD/tuner made for every girls' dream car. It had electric mirrors but the door locks were manual, and the petrol consumption was excellent.
This car stuck to the road like glue, the handling was beautiful - and for an everyday driver like me it undoubtedly improved the safety of my driving as there was less room for errors.
There were no airbags installed in this car, I don't actually know when they became standard but I think at the time it wasn't normal to have them in a car of this price. Also an alarm does not come factory fitted, this is something that you need to install if the previous owner(s) haven't already - when I was driving it this particular car was considered a high risk by the insurance companies (theft) and it cost a lot of money to insure: but not so much now I don't think as I think the boy racers have moved on.
Now I know that not all CRX's are the same, they seem to vary somewhat between the years and I'm pretty sure that the 1991 model was the first of the 'new' shape after the original model. I personally find the latest shape (the third model) a little on the ugly side, but I guess everyone has their preference.. or perhaps I am just biased after my little black beauty?!
The only reason I sold my car was because I was going overseas.. otherwise I would have kept her until she fell apart..
Advantages: Good solid design, beautiful car, turns heads Disadvantages: Too small
This was my second car, and it was and may always be my best car!
With its Japanese design It was strong and sturdy. I only had two problems with it the whole 2 years I had it one, was the break pads got worn out (easy to replace) and the clutch lead stretched and that was replaced not so expensive either. Its a nippy car and sits so low to the ground you wonder how you ever get in it. Once you take off the roof, (bit awkward on the manual version ... ...You can get this car with an automatic roof but I heard there can be some problems with this as if the electrics go the roof will be stuck and it could be stuck mid way. Even though its a small car you dont feel squashed inside as its quite roomy and spacious. A friend of mine drove it hes 6ft 2 a foot taller than me and felt it was still roomy. You can put the chair right back as for extra leg room and it goes back further than alot of cars. There ...
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Advantages: The car is a great sporty looking convertible which at a price which is quite affordable Disadvantages: Mine wasn,t fitted with a cup holder. And thats all I can think off to be honest.
...my eye. The car a Honda CRX. See the problem with me is that If I see something I like I get my heart set on it and try my hardest to get it(even cameron diaz and jessica alba hehe!) So off I went looking for the car I wanted. The problem is though they are quite hard to find and seem to sell at a dearer price than the book value. Eventually I found one which was really cheap for what it was and to be honest I was expecting there to be something ... ...The car is a Honda civic crx 1.6esi
Two seats, and a metallic blue coulour.
Removable roof, this basically unclips inside the car and slides into a compartment in the boot. It is really easy to do and isn,t heavy or time consuming. You can do it in about a minute. When the top is on it looks like a normal hard top car. Electric windows including a electric rear window which is unusaul but so fun and addictive I can,t stop playing with it.
Bucket ...
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Advantages: Looks fab, fast convertible Disadvantages: Manual roof a little heavy.
I've had my little CRX Del Sol for about 6 months now and I have to say I am totally hooked.
I bought it off ebay for £900. Its a 1993 Jap import 1.5 VXi which was imported into this country in 2004. Because it hasn't spent long in the damp British climate, it is immaculate. No rust, no marks, nothing.
It was one of those cars which was definitely an impulse purchase, and probably the best one I've ever made. It looks fab, and gets loads of comments, ... ...version which you have to take off and pop in the boot. It is a little heavy, but perfectly manageable. At least there are no leaks or rattles, which can apparently happen with the electric roof.
It seems to be happy pootling about town, but get it on a country road, put your foot down, wait a slight pause, and then the kickdown from the automatic transmission is phenomenal!
The brakes feel a little squishy, but as with everything on this little ...
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Advantages: 90's classic, Stunning engines, Superb handling Disadvantages: Manual roof a bit heavy if you are slight of build
The Honda CRX first hit the showrooms in the mid eighties in the form of a small and sporty 2 + 2 coupe. Think of it like a Ford Puma sent back in time and you can see how forward thinking our Japanese friends are. With its 1.5i 16 valve engine and low low weight it made for a sporty alternative to the mainstream hot hatches of the day, XR3i and Pug 205 GTi to name 2.
A school boy at the time, the CRX was right at the top of my wish list. Honda ... ...position to own one. But Honda had made further plans for the by now cult status CRX and quite dramatic they were too. Remove the rear seats and make the CRX a convertible!!!
So my ownership began - a gleaming Milano Red ESi with boot spoiler!! Making a £16k dent in my bank account oouch!!
In 1992 there were 2 models, the model I owned the 125bhp ESi and the 160bhp Vti. Both had the now well known VTEC valve lift system, the ESi having a single ...
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Advantages: Stunner of a car, especially with the roof, CD player Disadvantages: Not the most practical car!
I have had my Honda CRX Japanese import for a year and a half now - that's two summers of cruising around in a convertible! No, it's not practical, and yes it sometimes drips water from the roof where the seal is not as tight as it could be, but put The Fresh Prince "Summer Time" on the 6 CD player, crank it up, and put the roof down electronically and WHO CARES???!!!
Everyone stops and stares when the boot lifts up, arms reach out to grab the roof ... ...the boot again. Even the RAC man who came out to change my tyre for me (no, I'm not a naff female, I was just at work so didn't want to get dirty and besides, I pay for it don't I??!!!)hadn't seen one before and asked for a demo. Needless to say, he was as impressed as everyone else! I haven't met anyone yet who didn't think 1. it was great or 2. what a great way to pull a bloke! (or bird I guess...!).
So I can't fit more than a suitcase in the ...
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Advantages: Sports Car for the money of a hatchback Disadvantages: You will spin out at some point
...Plodding up and down the M1 is never fun. A round trip for me from Folkestsone to Leed was a few miles shy of 600... The car that I used for this mega trip was a bog standard Vectra 1.6. Underpowered and Sales Exec-tastic it did the job. When the need to travel this distance was no longer required neither was the Vectra.
What could I buy to replace such a car... The decision was a tough one but in the end I knew the basic direction I had to go. Japanese!
The Celica looks nice but a bit girly. The HondaCRX was out as I could not fit it it, likewise for the Hyundai Coupe.
The search led me to the MR2. A car that was a leader of its time and still has a lot to offer as the first sports car of my car history.
Driving - Great. It is not mind blowingly fast but that is good. This is an entry level sports car. Buy one of these to...
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Advantages: cheap tax, insurance, gets you from A to B Disadvantages: looks dated
...Oooh cringe at the title of my review, I could'nt think of anything else, sorry!
The Subaru Justy was the first car I ever bought. It was silver, E reg and cost me £300. I needed a little car to get me around while I was at Uni, and a car to get me back home at weekends.
Now, prior to this car, I was driving my dads HondaCRX, and boy! did I notice the difference once I got into this.
The Justy has a 1.2 petrol engine, but it is only 3 cylinder. I affectionately compared it to a lawnmower engine! It was very economical, doing about 45/50 mpg.
One very good feature of this car was the changeable 4WD. The majority of the time, you drive around in 2WD mode, but if you take it off road (in a field was my only experience of this) or on ice or snow, you can switch it over to 4WD mode. To change modes is very simple. There...
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Advantages: economical,cheap to insure Disadvantages: no extras eg;-power steering,electric windows,poor handling
...Up until buying the car i am going to review i had always driven a sporty model, be it a renault clio 1.8 16v,(which i currently have for sale) toyota mr2,hondacrx or an XR2i 1.8,all of which were high insurance groups,drank petrol and were in the high road tax bracket. I purchased and drove all these vehicles between the age of 21-26 when speed,street cred and the fact my car was better than my friends' really made a difference to what i owned. Now i'm 27 and realise that it's not so much how fast the car can go or what car my friends own,as to the fact i can go anywhere i want and it won't cost the earth.
Up until a year ago i was driving my black sporty renault with all mod cons,sunroof, central locking,alloys,rev counter etc and i thought it was the hairs on the bees knees,spot on,a real head turner,i used to turn up...
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02.02.2006
20.03.2004
