These are the types of enthusiast I love to see, someone that has such a bond with a car that they don't have to mod it. They think it's beautiful the way it is and think the manufacture did it right the first time. When you find a car that you feel that way about. It's time to stop searching and start enjoying. People are saying this car does not belong on this channel. All I see is a man that loves his car, and has devoted his hard work into preserving a piece of history that brings back great memories. The automotive hobby does not always have to be about racing. Sometimes it's just about expressing yourself through your vehicle. Now tell me that does not belong on here.
I'm so jealous of the fact that this guy live in a perfectly picturesque location where his car will last 20+years without rust, and an overall hard life.
+SkyHook If you live in the Salt Belt, oil spray your car @ Krown, Rustchek or corrosion free and you won't have problems. But ya it sucks that places like that don't have as much issue or none.
Had a 1987 silver CRX SI purchased new in July 1987, which I drove for 12 years. I sold it in 1999 with 120,000 miles on it. Most fun car I ever owned. Thanks for the great memories!
I know what you mean. The CRX and all of the Hondas from this era were beautiful cars. Their designs were so clean and the cars themselves were practically bulletproof. Today's Hondas are just down-right ugly for the most part. They're not the only ones who have lost their way, I feel the same about Nissan. I sure hope that they get their design mojo back.
This video is just adorable and inspiring at the same time. I wish I met more Honda fans like Christopher Hoffman who actually realize the beauty of Honda than the stereotypical hoodlums. I'd love to meet this man in person.
This brought back so many memories. My dad always said he would never find a car as good and reliable as his 1966 black VW bug. I told his to buy this exact 1987 Honda CRX Si. He had it almost till he passed in 2003. Most fun car I've ever driven, plus 35+mpg!
It's such a beautiful honda crx. Of all the honda crx's I've seen, with all their "laced rims", "slammed suspension", "cambered wheels" this is still the most beautiful honda I've ever seen.
Unlike some car channels on youtube every single video you guys make is always perfect for me. The vehicles you pick out are always interesting. Each video is not to long yet you mange to showcase the car and get a whole lot of info on its life in just 5 mins. There is some great, really well thought out photography as well. Thank you for making these videos!
This guy gets it. I own an 88 Si. The car is rock solid. It runs and drives nicer than most other cars out on the road 4x its age. Honda gearboxes are some of the sweetest around, and the cable clutch, manual steering, and light weight of it make you feel truly connected when driving it. Best bang for buck FWD car by miles.
My dad has a 1988 Honda CRX with the 1.6l non-vtec engine. He bought it when it was brand new. Here in Iceland i hear he had to wait 6-7 months for it to be delivered to the country. Today the car is sitting in a garage 330-340/365 days of the year (roughly) and it's only got 25476 miles (41.000km) on it. I know he did some light modifications such as an msd ignition, a performance chip installation and a modified exhaust (where the muffler got an extra exhaust put on it, so the exhaust tips are "mirrored"). Got a slightly larger spoiler on it and tires with more rubber for improved grip. No. We don't race it. We do however, occasionally drive it fast because the engine sounds so lovely. Amazing car.
From the days when a Honda was designed by engineers and not marketing or accountants. It's the engineering that made me smile :D and I loved my Mk2 (CRX). So glad to see someone that loves these machines as well.
This is absolutely gorgeous. It's nice to see a Honda kept in it's original beauty rather than having every last little bit changed to something crazy. I'm amazed at how it looks like it just left the factory yesterday.
I had a 1986 Civic Si Which I drove for 24 years and 483,000 miles,and never broke down,put a few Alternators,and timing belts, I finally bought a new car in 2013,my god I was not even use to Power Steering since my civic si had none,my Si was Truly a Drivers Car that was a BLAST TO DRIVE,and I miss it severly,and have been looking all over for one,no luck-KEEP YOUR SI,and never part with it!!!
Yes I absolutely loved my Civic Si the thing I find so amazing about that car I changed the oil NEVER going over 3000 miles in between,and even after almost a HALF MILLION MILES,it never burned a drop of Oil,now it did have a few rear main seales replaced with clutches,there was HUGE picture of me and My Car in the dealership I got it in in 1986 for having the highest mileage of any car bought there,and the car was never serviced there,i did ALL MAINTAINCE myselfxcept timing belts(did once-NEVER AGAIN lol) had it not started to Rust(I washed and waxed regularly) I would still be driving it-I bought an ACURA INTEGRA after-NOW that was a FUN CAR TOO,but do admit I LOVED the power Steering the integra had :)
I can only imagine how expensive and unobtainable those wheels are now. Personally I think they’re amazing, but every fucking ricer had to replace them with those M3 E30-lookalike custom rims.
I wanted this car SO badly when I was in college in the '80s! A friend of mine had that exact same model and color. You are one lucky man. Enjoy it as long as you can.
men how much people hate on honda just because they are affordable.... people just think the expensive cars are cool... they not. the cool thing is people that love there cars and enjoy them.
I just love the CRX - I've had two - a factory light-weight Mk1 and a standard Mk2 - both with the 1.6 16-valve non-Vtec. The Mk1 was fabulous with only 650kg to move about it really went well and handled beautifully.
My mother is in that category. She went from a 1988 Accord to a 2002 Accord to a 2005 Pilot to a 2013 Si. She puts a couple hundred thousand miles on a car over a while then moves to the next one.
***** I feel the same way. I own a '90 Civic sedan that I bought off my cousin a few years ago for $300, my dad and I put about $1500 in parts to get it running in good condition. It's just in trouble with the polar vortex thing here in the south and it won't start unless it's 40F outside. So until it's warmer, I'm stuck driving my mom's '06 Accord and my dad's '11 F-350. My parents still can't get around that I hate driving newer cars and trucks rather than my Civic.
I purchased an all original, single owner 92 Integra RS (base model) Most pleasant vehicle I've driven to date. It's such a great handling car, and the simplicity is perfect :)
These kind of comments are stupid. ANY car can last years/hundreds of thousands of miles with proper maintenance and ANY car can just suddenly fail. My 01 Honda Civic had 120k and developed a hesitation problem that did not respond to any repairs(I replaced/fixed fuel and ignition systems, timing, valve adjustment, Catalytic convertor, ECU) and still wound up with a connecting rod through it's oil pan. My Dad's 87 Firebird has 235k and the only issue it has ever developed was a cracked intake manifold and only left us stranded once with a dead alternator.
Gotta pile on here. I had a black 87 si for about 10 years. Can't tell you how much I loved that car! Watching this brought back all of those memories. I drove that thing across country and back. I remember going 120 mph down a long hill in Arizona. The car just got more stable the faster you went!. Almost no problems but CVC joints and the clear coat going bad because it was outside in the San Fernando Valley sun. Now I have a Honda Element and love that car like I loved the CRX!
109 k daaaamn shes a baby. Honda may not be my cup of tea but this is a very nice example. Please dont bar cars from this channel. Every car has a soul, you just need the right stretch of road or tunnel or even just a memory to find it, and although I tend to dislike Hondas, this video brought a smile to my face, and for that I thank you
Hearing that growl makes me miss my '89 Civic Si and its utterly beastly 108hp. If we had the money, my wife and I half-jokingly talked about starting a CRX rescue and adoption program: buying poor, abused CRXs, de-ricing and restoring them to stock, and finding new homes for them with people who would treat them right. Because to me, a clean CRX of any vintage (or Civic Si from the mid-to-late '80s) still gives me butterflies.
one of my fav 2 seater cars ever made. Great little autocross car too. love the Civic Si as well, looking at an '86 right now actually, totally stock, unmolested and priced just about right.
Back in 1988 a friend had a 1st gen CRX HF and we went from LA to Tijuana and back on less than 7 gallons of gas(was about 320 miles round trip). We didn't baby it either, probably averaged about 75mph on fwy. Fun little car(if a bit gutless in that loooong overdrive gear). Cool episode
OMG, thank you for this - crazy the memories and emotions it stirs. That was my first new car too, same color, identical - bought it in '86 - my vanity plate read CRXSI. I remember seeing it on Auto Week and thinking 'that's a stupid car - I would never buy that'. Then I test drove one - probably because it looked cooler in person and was inexpensive - and was like 'WOW!' The consummate pocket rocket. Lost the engine 10 years later - neglect was definitely a factor once I noticed issues. It being a 2-seater was a mixed blessing - anyone who had ridden curled up in my hatchback would probably consider it a negative. Thanks Again!
A friend of mine had one in the late 80's - he used to come pick me up to go windsurfing in His Honda . It was always a very exciting experience to be in that simple , yet very well done car . Happy to see one again .
I bought a '93 Civic and today it has 300,000 miles on it. The paint wore off, two muffles gone, and two windshields but the engine and transmission I would trust on a cross county drive.
This is perfect. It doesn't matter if you have a Ferrari or a Prius. If you love your car, you love your car, and that will come across in the way you take care of it, talk about it, and understand it.
I had a '89 Civic Si which I've sold at 360+k miles. It still ran like a clockwork at that time. Similar to your experience, the gearbox is a pleasure to shift, and the perfect pedal placement makes heel-and-toeing effortless. The excellent manual steering let you know exactly what the front tires are doing at all times. Gosh I miss that car.
So good... loved the video. My honda is 21 years old and although never left stock, this crx si is an inspiration. I would never sell her either... People ask me all the time. Awesome story and video.
Freaking awesome. I'm more a second gen CRX fan myself, but a clean first gen is so rare now that they have reached unicorn status. Well done, Christopher and Petrolicious.
Great video. I've owned an '88 CRX (non Si)and many other Honda cars and motorcycles. Seeing this really makes me miss the old Honda and lament the new. Keep up the excellent videos.
Having owned five gen two Integras, a CRX and a third gen Integra, I can say this guy sums up the love and appreciation I have for my older Hondas. There is simply nothing like them out there. I feel so at home in them, and god is it true - they take care of you just as you take care of them.
Whole Honda’s pricing will never compare to Ferrari’s or the likes but finding one in this condition and the passion behind the car is just as valuable. Unmolested original, clean, driven, and enjoyed by the owner.
This brings back old memories. I had a 1989 CRX Si and had 320,000 miles on hit before i gave it to my nephew in 1999. I drove it hard and the amazing thing is he still has it and still running on the original motor, tranny and clutch. The only thing that gave up was the paint job.
If you can't relate to this guy there is something wrong with you. It's not about price tags, racing pedigree, heritage... or styling, really. It's about the love and passion for an automobile.
freaking love 80s Honda, and this man has all my respect for leaving them all bone stock. I have a 1988 Accord coupe, and the thing had rusted through gas lines and still ran. It died on me once...but i got it started back up before coming to a complete stop. Thats when i looked at the fuel lines... Point is, they are dead reliable.. ive had many Hondas and never in my life have i been stuck anywhere with them.. my buddy got me my first pay as you go cellphone "incase your car has any problems" as he drove newer nissans.. and didnt get how my ride never failed me lol. I've never once used the phone to report that i was stranded somewhere.
Like a fine wine, this car and this story just got better in time. This car is in AMAZING shape. This guy is too humble because to keep a car looking and running this well for this long takes some effort. It does help it is a Honda. What an awesome story and an awesome car. Wow! I had an 86 Honda CRX and even though it was the DX version it was a very sad day when I had to let it go. I am not making that same mistake with my current Civic and unlike my high school and college years, I now have a garage to keep my car in.
You might have to look in an area that uses zero salt in it's roads to at least find one with no rust. These cars are about 95% of time rusty which often plagues the Crx. I wish that I one day may find a all bone stock and factory like new condition Crx but my chances of that here in Chicago are very slim. I wish the best of luck to you and your hunt.
+Tomas Acevedo very, very slim out there...Chicago KILLS cars. I brought my 98 CL out to LA and every time new guy gets it on the lift he is like "HOLY SHIT" you got major rust...sweat pours down his brow and he starts breathing heavy. California mechanics panic when they see rust hahaha.
I just saw two of them yesterday in my city. One in my parent’s neighborhood, the other while driving to lunch with my dad. I swear, these things are always in terrible condition. I’m worried that in 20 years, there won’t be any left. I guarantee you there would be big money in producing replica kits of Japanese sports cars from the 80’s/90’s/00’s. These things are classics now, they’re usually in poor condition, have been modified in poor taste beyond recognition and are often hard to find at all. A lot were wrecked, and cash for clunkers didn’t help, either.
Lovely car, truly. I know that feeling, they do put a smile on your face for sure. I bought my 90 Si new and I would never sell it. I love those 87's, they are what made me want one. Fine engine with a gearbox like butter. :)
Honda owners and Honda families like this are the reason Honda of America is the powerhouse it is today. Could you imagine working at Honda in 1977, your this Import company trying to get cemented in the gigantic American market, A market where at the time your name is synonymous with motorcycles and scooters and not so much passenger vehicles, to think that 40 or so years later you would become one of the, if not the standard in Reliability, Performance, and Price.
Wonderful tribute, thank you. I bought a new CRX Si in 1986 (black with the Bosch fog lights). Drove it for 10 years and 150,000 miles (including coast to coast) then traded it for almost nothing. Since then have owned many Hondas, a Maxima, Miata and 350Z but still love and miss that little Si, especially that amazingly slick shifter. Keep it forever!
Wish I still had my '86 CRX 1.5. I bought it new and still have dreams about driving it again. What's funny is that I still get coupons from the dealer saying "Savings for your 1986 Honda".
I had an '84 1.5 in white with the manual. Mugen headers, exhaust, Tokico shocks. Really loved that car. Wished I still had it. It was a blast to drive. So light- it loved the twisties. I used to drive up Woodside road (highway 84) to Alice's restaurant several times a month just for the heck of it.
+Scott Carlson I had a 1986 CRX-si, black, just like the one in the video (but I had round hellas driving lights vs. the rectangular Bosch fogs). Bought new to me with 11,000 miles in 1988 for $5500. Jackson Racing rear springs, lowered the front myself via the torsion adjustment, custom dual exhaust and white Enkie's with a silver lip. (yep, white Enkies on a black car in the late 80's). Loved that little car. So much fun to drive, so reliable. Put about 110,000 on it, then sold for $3k in 1996 for a '93 MR2 that I still have to do this day (under 100,000 miles still). Oh, the good ole days.
I love this old CRX. I had an 1986 and 1990 CRX Si, and to this day, I regret selling them. I really appreciate the fact that he kept the car stock after all these years.
This might be my favorite one yet. I always loved the CRX. They were sporty and neat looking. Attainable for young people. I loved the way they looked from behind, especially the last model. They had legit racing cred too - people would strip them down and race them all over the US back in the 90s. They were so small and light that they didn't need big power to be fast.
Great video, very refreshing to see a good, well cared for CRX. I have a MKII 1.6i16 that I'm slowly restoring to all-original spec and this give me even more inspiration!
I had a 1985 Honda CRX HF. Keep it for 10 years and 250K miles. My next Honda was a 1995 Civic CX. Then a 2001 Civic HX with 215K miles until three months ago I replaced it with a 2016 Honda Accord LX. All cars were purchased new.
I thought about my MR2 in the beginning of this video, 2 seats, small car/engine with a 5 speed. There's a lot to like about the CRX, but, there's no comparison. My 88 MR2 had 117 or so hp n/a. rwd, t-tops, oem sub under the driver's seat, putting groceries into the frunk, downshifting to 2nd at 40mph and flooring it. Thought number 2, was cutting out the back of a CRX and putting a 4age into it. :D
I just started driving a little '91 CRX HF. Pretty good car. Only issue we have with it right now is that it leaks oil really bad and needs an alignment. After we fix those two issues, the car should go good for awhile before needing to do more work on it. My fiancee and I did replace the stereo in it and we are also going to replace the speakers in it as well. But, those will most likely be the only modern things we put into this car.
The path of the crx owner is very near mine. I also sold a pretty and prety unreliable 85 scirocco in 91 which also was 6 years old. Then I bought a 1988 crx si. I wish I still had this part of my life since gone.
I really like the CRX models and this one looks in super great shape for how old. Seems funny he says it performs well at 91hp lol. Also wow the the sunset at 4:02
I’m on my first Honda right now after only owning German cars and man the reliability is awesome and it’s still fun to drive, what’s not to love? My next car will hopefully be an Si.
Great job Petrolicious! My first car was an 86 Civic (non Si). This CRX Si was on my wall as a young teenager. Well done! Keep up the great work! BTW: Chris you are an inspiration to those of us that didn't stick with it. I miss my 86 Civic and my 91 Civic Si. I should have kept them.
You see kids, there is no shame in having a car that's stock. Any one can pretend to be "fast and furious" and almost ruin the value of a perfectly good sports car with a bunch of mods trying to impress their friends. But keeping a car looking and performing like it just came off the showroom floor is a skill in of itself.
This guy is a complete car spec dork, like myself! Im in love with my stock '97 Corolla with 199,300 miles and people dont know why.. Its the sleek body, featherweight for a 4 door (2,300 lbs) and incredible reliability! Ive had to replace the distributor but besides that it runs like a champion! 30mpg on the street, reliability and nice tossible chassis, theres nothing light a lightweight Japanese car!
Awesome. That was my first car! Black. Drove it 90k km, sold it privately and bought a Si hatch.....I loved that car too but it wasn't as fun as the CRX si. The element I loved about my CRX was the steering. It felt like a go cart. I could feel every pebble.....I miss it....
the commenters on this one prove how narrow minded gearheads can be. once again a fun episode with a fresh take from the usual porsche owners everyone aspires to be. Thanks for reminding us the channel is for the love of cars, even the attainable ones.
I've got an 85 CRX Si with 216k miles, but motor was rebuilt last time around 180k. All original except for the radio, came with all the original brochures and booklets just like you can see in his trunk. Maintenance records, receipts, dates, clean history. It's black with the lower silver two-tone. Only issue with it is a finicky headlight switch and a slight oil leak. Gets around 32 mpg for me and feels like driving a go kart all the time. Like he said, you can't drive it without having a smile on your face.
My family bought a 1974 Honda cvcc brand new. It was driven to 315,000 miles when most 70's cars were the worst. I had a 1979 Prelude # 1079, it had a 4 speed and was tiny on the inside, but it was fun. Driving along the coast highway everyday, with the salt mist in the air, rusted out both of these cars.
Nice car Chris, I like the video too. While I never bought one new, my first was a 6000 mile '85 Si from a co-worker in January '86. I have owned one (or more) of the first gens ever since. Currently own 4 four of 'em.
keep it safe man. I hope you never have to experience someone stealing your car. It's the worst feeling ever. I speak to the lot of us when you said "i stock pile parts!"
Love this video as I am an original owner of a 1991 Honda Civic DX. Recently purchased a 1986 Civic Si which I am restoring to OEM. Thanks for sharing your CRX with us.
These are the types of enthusiast I love to see, someone that has such a bond with a car that they don't have to mod it. They think it's beautiful the way it is and think the manufacture did it right the first time. When you find a car that you feel that way about. It's time to stop searching and start enjoying. People are saying this car does not belong on this channel. All I see is a man that loves his car, and has devoted his hard work into preserving a piece of history that brings back great memories. The automotive hobby does not always have to be about racing. Sometimes it's just about expressing yourself through your vehicle. Now tell me that does not belong on here.
+1 Agreed 100%
billybobpeach its called being a purist, unfortunately there's not that many of us to preserve all classic cars...........
My 1997 Honda Del Sol is 25 years old. I also am a original owner. The early Hondas were very reliable. But as a car get older, you start
Canada vintage Honda auto car parts
Those older CRXes, especially the Si, are good-looking little cars. Not drop-dead gorgeous, but well-proportioned and just attractive.
Well said and still stands true to this day
I'm so jealous of the fact that this guy live in a perfectly picturesque location where his car will last 20+years without rust, and an overall hard life.
This is long beach california
Smog laws don't allow you to do anything to your cars, so it's hell.
+Tae Young Lee That applies to the muffler/pipes only right?
+SkyHook everything
+SkyHook If you live in the Salt Belt, oil spray your car @ Krown, Rustchek or corrosion free and you won't have problems. But ya it sucks that places like that don't have as much issue or none.
Just like what he said.. a million modified cars and this one stands out by not doing anything to it.
I still think the CRX has the best looking rear end of any hatchback ever made.
kevman5 that's because it's not a hatchback
How is the CRX not a hatchback? It clearly has a hatch. What would you call it then?
CRX 1stGEN it's a fastback coupe the rear end does sort of open like a hatchback but it's a fastback body style
CRX 1stGEN there are plenty of other fastbacks who's rear end opens this way but nobody would ever call them a hatchback
Uhh.. what about civic type-r ...
I just watched this again and it just keeps getting better. Awesome story Chris and of course awesome Honda.
Good job petrolicious, there are Japanese car lovers out here too. It doesn't have to be a Z or a skyline to be popular.
But dont be afraid to have more Datsuns ;)
Agree 100 percent im a Datsun Nissan fan from way back
Had a 1987 silver CRX SI purchased new in July 1987, which I drove for 12 years. I sold it
in 1999 with 120,000 miles on it. Most fun car I ever owned. Thanks for the great memories!
I wish Hondas were still like this.
Umm...Were like what ? (Not trying to be offensie or anything)
KPonliner older Hondas were special because they were so quirky and different. All that matters now is marketing and price.
I know what you mean. The CRX and all of the Hondas from this era were beautiful cars. Their designs were so clean and the cars themselves were practically bulletproof.
Today's Hondas are just down-right ugly for the most part. They're not the only ones who have lost their way, I feel the same about Nissan.
I sure hope that they get their design mojo back.
Um... CR-Z.
But the CR-Z is not really that affordable for most people.
This video is just adorable and inspiring at the same time. I wish I met more Honda fans like Christopher Hoffman who actually realize the beauty of Honda than the stereotypical hoodlums. I'd love to meet this man in person.
I bet you would big boy ;)
This brought back so many memories. My dad always said he would never find a car as good and reliable as his 1966 black VW bug. I told his to buy this exact 1987 Honda CRX Si. He had it almost till he passed in 2003. Most fun car I've ever driven, plus 35+mpg!
AH, the good ol' fashoned "Blista Compact" ;)
+jippalippa LMAO GTA5 club here
+RAT DATSUN gta Vice City-San Andreas-IV and V club :) They all feature the blista compact ^^
can't get enough of it
yep one my favorite gta san andreas cars ;-)
jippalippa I gotta play gta4 now
It is so lovely to see one of these CRX's that have not been modified beyond recognition.
YES. I'm tired of vanilla million-dollar ferraris. More old American Iron and Classic Japanese cars.
Old school German cars are cool too
Roynelle Morris Italian(The most epic) and French(not so reliable I know) too :)
vinyl79 Both of you exactly!
It's such a beautiful honda crx. Of all the honda crx's I've seen, with all their "laced rims", "slammed suspension", "cambered wheels" this is still the most beautiful honda I've ever seen.
Unlike some car channels on youtube every single video you guys make is always perfect for me. The vehicles you pick out are always interesting. Each video is not to long yet you mange to showcase the car and get a whole lot of info on its life in just 5 mins. There is some great, really well thought out photography as well. Thank you for making these videos!
This guy gets it. I own an 88 Si. The car is rock solid. It runs and drives nicer than most other cars out on the road 4x its age. Honda gearboxes are some of the sweetest around, and the cable clutch, manual steering, and light weight of it make you feel truly connected when driving it. Best bang for buck FWD car by miles.
My dad has a 1988 Honda CRX with the 1.6l non-vtec engine. He bought it when it was brand new. Here in Iceland i hear he had to wait 6-7 months for it to be delivered to the country. Today the car is sitting in a garage 330-340/365 days of the year (roughly) and it's only got 25476 miles (41.000km) on it. I know he did some light modifications such as an msd ignition, a performance chip installation and a modified exhaust (where the muffler got an extra exhaust put on it, so the exhaust tips are "mirrored"). Got a slightly larger spoiler on it and tires with more rubber for improved grip. No. We don't race it. We do however, occasionally drive it fast because the engine sounds so lovely. Amazing car.
OlafurArons I’ll buy it
From the days when a Honda was designed by engineers and not marketing or accountants. It's the engineering that made me smile :D and I loved my Mk2 (CRX). So glad to see someone that loves these machines as well.
Still one of my favorite Petrolicious vids...makes me want to continue to preserve my all-original S2000 with 20K miles.
This is absolutely gorgeous. It's nice to see a Honda kept in it's original beauty rather than having every last little bit changed to something crazy. I'm amazed at how it looks like it just left the factory yesterday.
I had a 1986 Civic Si Which I drove for 24 years and 483,000 miles,and never broke down,put a few Alternators,and timing belts, I finally bought a new car in 2013,my god I was not even use to Power Steering since my civic si had none,my Si was Truly a Drivers Car that was a BLAST TO DRIVE,and I miss it severly,and have been looking all over for one,no luck-KEEP YOUR SI,and never part with it!!!
William Randolph Very good advice. Once you've experience a good manual steering there's no going back! Bye-bye road-feel. :-(
Yes I absolutely loved my Civic Si the thing I find so amazing about that car I changed the oil NEVER going over 3000 miles in between,and even after almost a HALF MILLION MILES,it never burned a drop of Oil,now it did have a few rear main seales replaced with clutches,there was HUGE picture of me and My Car in the dealership I got it in in 1986 for having the highest mileage of any car bought there,and the car was never serviced there,i did ALL MAINTAINCE myselfxcept timing belts(did once-NEVER AGAIN lol) had it not started to Rust(I washed and waxed regularly) I would still be driving it-I bought an ACURA INTEGRA after-NOW that was a FUN CAR TOO,but do admit I LOVED the power Steering the integra had :)
If only my old CRX could tell stories I have owned probably 20 vehicles but I think my crx was the only one that I ever loved
Sweet Crx! I love seeing old Hondas that still look factory this guy did it the right way
boyENZOH just wait to see what you can find lol
I can only imagine how expensive and unobtainable those wheels are now. Personally I think they’re amazing, but every fucking ricer had to replace them with those M3 E30-lookalike custom rims.
I wanted this car SO badly when I was in college in the '80s! A friend of mine had that exact same model and color. You are one lucky man. Enjoy it as long as you can.
men how much people hate on honda just because they are affordable.... people just think the expensive cars are cool... they not. the cool thing is people that love there cars and enjoy them.
I owed one exactly like this for 3 years. It felt a lot faster than 91 hp. I have great memories of this car.
I just love the CRX - I've had two - a factory light-weight Mk1 and a standard Mk2 - both with the 1.6 16-valve non-Vtec. The Mk1 was fabulous with only 650kg to move about it really went well and handled beautifully.
My best car ever was a EG Civic VTi 1.6 but it will never beat the fun driving experience of a 2 gen CRX 1.6 non vtec.
I love the 4 hole phone dial wheels on this car. So good.
yea, is also similar to the buttons
beautiful ride
The CRX had awesome MPG...much better than any today.
hmmm..dis is good!
HELLO
This guy is american car makers worst nightmare.
He buys better (foreign) and doesn't replace his car just because it gets a little old.
My mother is in that category. She went from a 1988 Accord to a 2002 Accord to a 2005 Pilot to a 2013 Si. She puts a couple hundred thousand miles on a car over a while then moves to the next one.
*****
All my friends ask me why i don't get a new car. Simply i tell them I like old cars, you feel more connected.
***** I feel the same way. I own a '90 Civic sedan that I bought off my cousin a few years ago for $300, my dad and I put about $1500 in parts to get it running in good condition. It's just in trouble with the polar vortex thing here in the south and it won't start unless it's 40F outside. So until it's warmer, I'm stuck driving my mom's '06 Accord and my dad's '11 F-350. My parents still can't get around that I hate driving newer cars and trucks rather than my Civic.
I purchased an all original, single owner 92 Integra RS (base model) Most pleasant vehicle I've driven to date. It's such a great handling car, and the simplicity is perfect :)
These kind of comments are stupid. ANY car can last years/hundreds of thousands of miles with proper maintenance and ANY car can just suddenly fail.
My 01 Honda Civic had 120k and developed a hesitation problem that did not respond to any repairs(I replaced/fixed fuel and ignition systems, timing, valve adjustment, Catalytic convertor, ECU) and still wound up with a connecting rod through it's oil pan.
My Dad's 87 Firebird has 235k and the only issue it has ever developed was a cracked intake manifold and only left us stranded once with a dead alternator.
Gotta pile on here. I had a black 87 si for about 10 years. Can't tell you how much I loved that car! Watching this brought back all of those memories. I drove that thing across country and back. I remember going 120 mph down a long hill in Arizona. The car just got more stable the faster you went!. Almost no problems but CVC joints and the clear coat going bad because it was outside in the San Fernando Valley sun. Now I have a Honda Element and love that car like I loved the CRX!
109 k daaaamn shes a baby. Honda may not be my cup of tea but this is a very nice example. Please dont bar cars from this channel. Every car has a soul, you just need the right stretch of road or tunnel or even just a memory to find it, and although I tend to dislike Hondas, this video brought a smile to my face, and for that I thank you
this was my second car I had …. graduated in 1991 …. a lot of great memories
Hearing that growl makes me miss my '89 Civic Si and its utterly beastly 108hp. If we had the money, my wife and I half-jokingly talked about starting a CRX rescue and adoption program: buying poor, abused CRXs, de-ricing and restoring them to stock, and finding new homes for them with people who would treat them right. Because to me, a clean CRX of any vintage (or Civic Si from the mid-to-late '80s) still gives me butterflies.
one of my fav 2 seater cars ever made. Great little autocross car too. love the Civic Si as well, looking at an '86 right now actually, totally stock, unmolested and priced just about right.
Rob Camp save a little money in Karatbars...upgrade lp1.kb-universe.com/?referer=sampsonleevon
Rob Camp I was thinking of doing the same thing
Back in 1988 a friend had a 1st gen CRX HF and we went from LA to Tijuana and back on less than 7 gallons of gas(was about 320 miles round trip). We didn't baby it either, probably averaged about 75mph on fwy. Fun little car(if a bit gutless in that loooong overdrive gear). Cool episode
OMG, thank you for this - crazy the memories and emotions it stirs. That was my first new car too, same color, identical - bought it in '86 - my vanity plate read CRXSI. I remember seeing it on Auto Week and thinking 'that's a stupid car - I would never buy that'. Then I test drove one - probably because it looked cooler in person and was inexpensive - and was like 'WOW!' The consummate pocket rocket. Lost the engine 10 years later - neglect was definitely a factor once I noticed issues. It being a 2-seater was a mixed blessing - anyone who had ridden curled up in my hatchback would probably consider it a negative. Thanks Again!
In Europe you have had 1.6 zc1 engine 130horse power. Lot of fun.
A friend of mine had one in the late 80's - he used to come pick me up to go windsurfing in His Honda . It was always a very exciting experience to be in that simple , yet very well done car . Happy to see one again .
I bought a '93 Civic and today it has 300,000 miles on it. The paint wore off, two muffles gone, and two windshields but the engine and transmission I would trust on a cross county drive.
This is perfect. It doesn't matter if you have a Ferrari or a Prius. If you love your car, you love your car, and that will come across in the way you take care of it, talk about it, and understand it.
I had a '89 Civic Si which I've sold at 360+k miles. It still ran like a clockwork at that time.
Similar to your experience, the gearbox is a pleasure to shift, and the perfect pedal placement makes heel-and-toeing effortless. The excellent manual steering let you know exactly what the front tires are doing at all times. Gosh I miss that car.
So good... loved the video. My honda is 21 years old and although never left stock, this crx si is an inspiration. I would never sell her either... People ask me all the time. Awesome story and video.
Freaking awesome. I'm more a second gen CRX fan myself, but a clean first gen is so rare now that they have reached unicorn status. Well done, Christopher and Petrolicious.
Mine was identical to yours but was an 86 model. Traded it for a new 88 crx si, loved them both, great memories
I own this same car. White. Grandma drove it off the lot in 86 brand new. Now has 350+k miles. Love the little thing. Thanks
Great video. I've owned an '88 CRX (non Si)and many other Honda cars and motorcycles. Seeing this really makes me miss the old Honda and lament the new. Keep up the excellent videos.
Yay that was also my first car, except I had a 1987 1.6i-16 125hp ( ZC1 engine)... loved it and miss it.
Having owned five gen two Integras, a CRX and a third gen Integra, I can say this guy sums up the love and appreciation I have for my older Hondas. There is simply nothing like them out there. I feel so at home in them, and god is it true - they take care of you just as you take care of them.
That was a clean rex! This is the dream to have a orginal car that looks factory:D
Whole Honda’s pricing will never compare to Ferrari’s or the likes but finding one in this condition and the passion behind the car is just as valuable. Unmolested original, clean, driven, and enjoyed by the owner.
beautiful car beautifully filmed. I really want a crx now
This brings back old memories. I had a 1989 CRX Si and had 320,000 miles on hit before i gave it to my nephew in 1999. I drove it hard and the amazing thing is he still has it and still running on the original motor, tranny and clutch. The only thing that gave up was the paint job.
If you can't relate to this guy there is something wrong with you. It's not about price tags, racing pedigree, heritage... or styling, really. It's about the love and passion for an automobile.
freaking love 80s Honda, and this man has all my respect for leaving them all bone stock. I have a 1988 Accord coupe, and the thing had rusted through gas lines and still ran. It died on me once...but i got it started back up before coming to a complete stop. Thats when i looked at the fuel lines...
Point is, they are dead reliable.. ive had many Hondas and never in my life have i been stuck anywhere with them.. my buddy got me my first pay as you go cellphone "incase your car has any problems" as he drove newer nissans.. and didnt get how my ride never failed me lol. I've never once used the phone to report that i was stranded somewhere.
I usually don't care for Civics after about 1980, but for some reason this particular one makes me smile.
my first car was a '77 CVCC... only ones you see now are at auction for over $12000
Like a fine wine, this car and this story just got better in time. This car is in AMAZING shape. This guy is too humble because to keep a car looking and running this well for this long takes some effort. It does help it is a Honda. What an awesome story and an awesome car. Wow! I had an 86 Honda CRX and even though it was the DX version it was a very sad day when I had to let it go. I am not making that same mistake with my current Civic and unlike my high school and college years, I now have a garage to keep my car in.
What a gorgeous car. I would love to have one, but they are very hard to come by in this condition...
You might have to look in an area that uses zero salt in it's roads to at least find one with no rust. These cars are about 95% of time rusty which often plagues the Crx. I wish that I one day may find a all bone stock and factory like new condition Crx but my chances of that here in Chicago are very slim. I wish the best of luck to you and your hunt.
+Tomas Acevedo there is a guy in portland selling a jdm crx for 8500
+Tomas Acevedo very, very slim out there...Chicago KILLS cars. I brought my 98 CL out to LA and every time new guy gets it on the lift he is like "HOLY SHIT" you got major rust...sweat pours down his brow and he starts breathing heavy. California mechanics panic when they see rust hahaha.
@@tomasacevedo3932 80s cars made of aluminium don't that
I just saw two of them yesterday in my city. One in my parent’s neighborhood, the other while driving to lunch with my dad. I swear, these things are always in terrible condition. I’m worried that in 20 years, there won’t be any left. I guarantee you there would be big money in producing replica kits of Japanese sports cars from the 80’s/90’s/00’s. These things are classics now, they’re usually in poor condition, have been modified in poor taste beyond recognition and are often hard to find at all. A lot were wrecked, and cash for clunkers didn’t help, either.
Lovely car, truly. I know that feeling, they do put a smile on your face for sure. I bought my 90 Si new and I would never sell it. I love those 87's, they are what made me want one. Fine engine with a gearbox like butter. :)
It's sad looking at the comments, people not liking the video because of the car's make.
always nice to see a piece of history in its original form.
Honda owners and Honda families like this are the reason Honda of America is the powerhouse it is today. Could you imagine working at Honda in 1977, your this Import company trying to get cemented in the gigantic American market, A market where at the time your name is synonymous with motorcycles and scooters and not so much passenger vehicles, to think that 40 or so years later you would become one of the, if not the standard in Reliability, Performance, and Price.
Wonderful tribute, thank you. I bought a new CRX Si in 1986 (black with the Bosch fog lights). Drove it for 10 years and 150,000 miles (including coast to coast) then traded it for almost nothing. Since then have owned many Hondas, a Maxima, Miata and 350Z but still love and miss that little Si, especially that amazingly slick shifter. Keep it forever!
Always had a soft spot for the honda crx. What a lovely maintained stock car that is. Truly stunning.
From a MR2 turbo Owner
I owned this same CRX Si in red for 300k, and the only other car that tempted me was the MR2 (1st gen, which I test drove and absolutely loved).
Wish I still had my '86 CRX 1.5. I bought it new and still have dreams about driving it again. What's funny is that I still get coupons from the dealer saying "Savings for your 1986 Honda".
I had an '84 1.5 in white with the manual. Mugen headers, exhaust, Tokico shocks. Really loved that car. Wished I still had it. It was a blast to drive. So light- it loved the twisties. I used to drive up Woodside road (highway 84) to Alice's restaurant several times a month just for the heck of it.
no you didn't
+volkscom I'm sure he did.
+Scott Carlson I had a 1986 CRX-si, black, just like the one in the video (but I had round hellas driving lights vs. the rectangular Bosch fogs). Bought new to me with 11,000 miles in 1988 for $5500. Jackson Racing rear springs, lowered the front myself via the torsion adjustment, custom dual exhaust and white Enkie's with a silver lip. (yep, white Enkies on a black car in the late 80's). Loved that little car. So much fun to drive, so reliable. Put about 110,000 on it, then sold for $3k in 1996 for a '93 MR2 that I still have to do this day (under 100,000 miles still). Oh, the good ole days.
I've watched this video at least 5 times. Truly brilliant
The more I see this kind of vids, the more I want to keep mine for longer & longer :)
I love this old CRX. I had an 1986 and 1990 CRX Si, and to this day, I regret selling them. I really appreciate the fact that he kept the car stock after all these years.
Love that car! Honda should start making the sort of cars they made in the 80s again, instead of all those SUVs and Overpriced Acura family cars.
This might be my favorite one yet. I always loved the CRX. They were sporty and neat looking. Attainable for young people. I loved the way they looked from behind, especially the last model. They had legit racing cred too - people would strip them down and race them all over the US back in the 90s. They were so small and light that they didn't need big power to be fast.
Lovely car, bring back lovely memories.
Lucky to be living outside the winter-(rust)-belt.
Great video, very refreshing to see a good, well cared for CRX. I have a MKII 1.6i16 that I'm slowly restoring to all-original spec and this give me even more inspiration!
I had a 1985 Honda CRX HF. Keep it for 10 years and 250K miles. My next Honda was a 1995 Civic CX. Then a 2001 Civic HX with 215K miles until three months ago I replaced it with a 2016 Honda Accord LX. All cars were purchased new.
Great vid! The man loves his ride in all the right ways. Respect.
I remember looking at this car in the mid 80s with my dad, but he went with an 1985 Toyota MR2 instead
And a good thing he did
Corin Rowe I like the styling of the CRX Si more, but I like the stock performance numbers better in the MR2
Matt Smith I love pop up headlights haha
Corin Rowe Pop up headlights are classy as fuck.
I thought about my MR2 in the beginning of this video, 2 seats, small car/engine with a 5 speed. There's a lot to like about the CRX, but, there's no comparison. My 88 MR2 had 117 or so hp n/a. rwd, t-tops, oem sub under the driver's seat, putting groceries into the frunk, downshifting to 2nd at 40mph and flooring it. Thought number 2, was cutting out the back of a CRX and putting a 4age into it. :D
I had one of this and it actually made my commute to work super fun :)
Improperly installed at the factory, leaks 19 years later. Meanwhile brand new Ford/GM/Chrysler even Ferrari would immediately catch on fire.
IKR
Lmao facts
U forgot toyota and their acceleration issues.
I just started driving a little '91 CRX HF. Pretty good car. Only issue we have with it right now is that it leaks oil really bad and needs an alignment. After we fix those two issues, the car should go good for awhile before needing to do more work on it. My fiancee and I did replace the stereo in it and we are also going to replace the speakers in it as well. But, those will most likely be the only modern things we put into this car.
You have a cool mom.
The path of the crx owner is very near mine.
I also sold a pretty and prety unreliable 85 scirocco in 91 which also was 6 years old. Then I bought a 1988 crx si.
I wish I still had this part of my life since gone.
I really like the CRX models and this one looks in super great shape for how old. Seems funny he says it performs well at 91hp lol. Also wow the the sunset at 4:02
It's so good to see true car guys! Great video keep up the good work...
I have had 4 Civics and I will never by Domestic again.
I’m on my first Honda right now after only owning German cars and man the reliability is awesome and it’s still fun to drive, what’s not to love? My next car will hopefully be an Si.
Great job Petrolicious! My first car was an 86 Civic (non Si). This CRX Si was on my wall as a young teenager. Well done! Keep up the great work! BTW: Chris you are an inspiration to those of us that didn't stick with it. I miss my 86 Civic and my 91 Civic Si. I should have kept them.
You see kids, there is no shame in having a car that's stock. Any one can pretend to be "fast and furious" and almost ruin the value of a perfectly good sports car with a bunch of mods trying to impress their friends. But keeping a car looking and performing like it just came off the showroom floor is a skill in of itself.
Reuben Solly +1 best comment here.....purist approved..........
This guy is a complete car spec dork, like myself! Im in love with my stock '97 Corolla with 199,300 miles and people dont know why.. Its the sleek body, featherweight for a 4 door (2,300 lbs) and incredible reliability! Ive had to replace the distributor but besides that it runs like a champion! 30mpg on the street, reliability and nice tossible chassis, theres nothing light a lightweight Japanese car!
So much hate for this fantastic CRX. Anyone who says anything bad about a CRX has clearly never driven one.
My buddies were both proud Mustang GT owners, and they both loved driving my '87 CRX Si, said it cornered like it was on rails, tons of fun.
forever until a girl texting slams on it *knock on wood :X
what if the girl loves it too! happy family
KJ he meant a woman texting and driving crashes into it lol
Awesome. That was my first car! Black. Drove it 90k km, sold it privately and bought a Si hatch.....I loved that car too but it wasn't as fun as the CRX si. The element I loved about my CRX was the steering. It felt like a go cart. I could feel every pebble.....I miss it....
the commenters on this one prove how narrow minded gearheads can be.
once again a fun episode with a fresh take from the usual porsche owners everyone aspires to be. Thanks for reminding us the channel is for the love of cars, even the attainable ones.
Sorry for being 5 years late, but this is the best comment on here
I've got an 85 CRX Si with 216k miles, but motor was rebuilt last time around 180k. All original except for the radio, came with all the original brochures and booklets just like you can see in his trunk. Maintenance records, receipts, dates, clean history. It's black with the lower silver two-tone. Only issue with it is a finicky headlight switch and a slight oil leak. Gets around 32 mpg for me and feels like driving a go kart all the time. Like he said, you can't drive it without having a smile on your face.
I have Hondas and with very little troublr, I am a HONDA Girl for life.
Not in Canada my dear, winter is bad for crx and civics
My family bought a 1974 Honda cvcc brand new. It was driven to 315,000 miles when most 70's cars were the worst.
I had a 1979 Prelude # 1079, it had a 4 speed and was tiny on the inside, but it was fun.
Driving along the coast highway everyday, with the salt mist in the air, rusted out both of these cars.
Beautiful car!!!
Nice car Chris, I like the video too. While I never bought one new, my first was a 6000 mile '85 Si from a co-worker in January '86. I have owned one (or more) of the first gens ever since. Currently own 4 four of 'em.
Ignore the car snobs Petrolicious. Another great piece.
Pity the car snobs, wallowing in their ignorance.
This makes my heart smile.
Beautiful car my friend classic. I love Hondas.
keep it safe man. I hope you never have to experience someone stealing your car. It's the worst feeling ever. I speak to the lot of us when you said "i stock pile parts!"
Congrats Chris!!!
Awesome!
Love this video as I am an original owner of a 1991 Honda Civic DX. Recently purchased a 1986 Civic Si which I am restoring to OEM. Thanks for sharing your CRX with us.