Driving a toaster... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #1 04-19-2009, 12:08 PM

I have been driving my mother's 2007 Honda CRV around a bit. What a toaster. It is a car designed for people who hate cars. It has a 2.4 liter four and over 3500 miles has returned an average fuel economy of -- get this-- 16.7mpg! The Suburban with an engine that is more than 2x the size returns 18!. The 'Real Time AWD' system is very disconcerting. It runs via torque converters and torque tubes from the frint wheels to the rear wheels with no transfer case or central diff. The downside is that the car feels jerky as torque is transferred from the front to the rear. The amount of driveline braking makes it feel like you are running in 2nd gear when you lift off the throttle. The rear 1/4 windows are useless as is the back glass. The curved 'C' pillars frakme out. I keep thinking there is a car off my right rear when it is the 'C' pillar in the corner of my eye...

Does anybody else have a new model CR-V? Are your experiences like mine? I see a ton of them on the road, so I keep thinking it is me just being picky after driving the W126, e28 and the 'burban...

tankdriver · #2 04-19-2009, 12:17 PM

My friend has one and loves it, but he's not a car guy. I rode in it but never drove it.

pawoSD · #3 04-19-2009, 12:42 PM

I've never ridden in one.....I've ridden/driven in a newer Rav4 (their direct competitor) and was unimpressed....noisy wussy engine (featuring TorqueFree technology (TM))....stiff suspension, plastic weightless doors....numb steering.....all those econobox cars are super boring.

LUVMBDiesels · #4 04-19-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I've never ridden in one.....I've ridden/driven in a newer Rav4 (their direct competitor) and was unimpressed....noisy wussy engine (featuring TorqueFree technology (TM))....stiff suspension, plastic weightless doors....numb steering.....all those econobox cars are super boring.

Exactly...

cmbdiesel · #5 04-19-2009, 01:29 PM

Kinda like the 'trail rated' jeeps. I think they meant to say 'trailer rated'. You can tow this thing anywhere!!

Hatterasguy · #6 04-19-2009, 03:33 PM

My mom loves her 07 Rav4 which is similer, she has been averaging low 20's with it around town. Her's is the 2wd version though, so its lighter.

Its a cheap car, but again it was only $23k new. For what it is, its been fantastic, totaly trouble free in the 3 years we have had it.

If you want something thats better buy one of the big Lexus or Toyota SUV's, those things are like $75k+ but their nice. Lots of better SUV's out their, but they all cost two or three times as much, so you get what you payfor.

G500, Range Rover, or a big Lexus or more my style in SUV's. Everything else is junk.

tankdriver · #7 04-19-2009, 03:37 PM

Yeah, I don't think anyone who gets one is really much of a car guy/gal. They fit their customers.
I'm a little surprised at the mpgs LMBD got though. Should be better than that.

Hatterasguy · #8 04-19-2009, 03:40 PM

My mom couldn't give a damn about a car. As long as it has room for her pilates stuff and plants, and is in good shape she is happy.

We almost bought her a 2006 C320 Guard from my dads friend insted, but it was totaled out a few months before she needed a car. A bullit proof C320 would have been cool, but she wasn't willed about it because it wasn't a wagon.

LUVMBDiesels · #9 04-23-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I've never ridden in one.....I've ridden/driven in a newer Rav4 (their direct competitor) and was unimpressed....noisy wussy engine (featuring TorqueFree technology (TM))....stiff suspension, plastic weightless doors....numb steering.....all those econobox cars are super boring.

I HAD TO rent a Rav4 for my stay in Ohio this week. WOW! compared to the 'toaster' this is even worse! It is a 2009 with only 2700 miles on it so it is equivalent to my mother's CRV. It does not hold the road at all swerving from side to side under what acceleration there is. It feels even cheaper than the Honda and has absolutely nothing to recommend it except that it gets better mpg than the Honda.

Why are these things so popular? My Suburban has more road feel and gets better mpg than the CRV!

The Rav4 is just plain dangerous on the road always feeling like you are driving a video game instead of a car. The back seat is useless and the cargo hold can barely fit my one large suitcase!

Even the Hummer H3 I rented last year was better on the road AND it kicked butt of road! It also gets better mpg than the CRV

Maybe some of the "I will only buy foreign cars" types should look at Chevy. They could be very suprised...

lutzTD · #10 04-23-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

Maybe some of the "I will only buy foreign cars" types should look at Chevy. They could be very suprised...

or a Ford, they really are nice cars. Saturn has new Toyotas and Hondas on their lot so you can drive them back to back for the best cmparison. Although I will say my moms Camry is not too bad, but my freind has a Focus and I like that better than the yota

Ara T. · #11 04-24-2009, 12:07 AM

My mom's got one... i think its an 07 or 08. Hers has the same engine but gets 20 mpg (probably 95% city driving). I dont think its that bad, except for the lame engine. The suspension is actually pretty good and surprisingly decent on the sweepers... in fact a bit too stiff for city driving.

Hers is FWD which explains the better mpg.

iwrock · #12 04-24-2009, 01:11 AM

Its a different class of car.

Its a dependable appliance, designed and built to get you from point A to point B with as few headaches as possible.

Hatterasguy · #13 04-24-2009, 03:50 PM

A Suburban is a $50k truck, we paid $23k for my moms Rav.

Its not a bad little SUV.

Mistress · #14 04-24-2009, 04:30 PM

For crying out loud it's your mom's car, not yours. We on the other hand run with a different herd. Please don't tell anyone but when i was in college i drove a 1982 Honda Civic I lovingly refered to as The Rice Rocket....

cmbdiesel · #15 04-24-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

For crying out loud it's your mom's car, not yours. We on the other hand run with a different herd. Please don't tell anyone but when i was in college i drove a 1982 Honda Civic I lovingly refered to as The Rice Rocket....

I had a 1980 Civic. GREAT car. Of course it was free. But that little bastid would scream up and down the mountain where I lived. Was really a sight to see after the first winter, tire chains had taken a beating (first year ever with chains, I know now to take them off even for short bursts of pavement

) and the broken cross chains had beaten the fenders completely flat and paintless. There were two matching holes in the hood where my highlift jack had opened it like a tin can. It eventually was given to a neighbor, after it got a new free nose