Learn Me Honda CR-Z

Yet another build thread. Crap. At least the Prius is at the body shop getting the frame pulled today and all the body parts are in hand except for a new fender. I can call that one 'complete' on Monday when I get it registered and give it away. The Fiero is coming along well, but needs a good several hour long block of time to move it further. Boxsters - combine the two black ones with an engine swap, transmission troubleshooting on 'Little Debbie', and a few small nags on the the '04 SE and my wife's '01. 914s - make three into two. Scirocco - get the 1.8T from the Audi TT that's been sitting on the trailer since last summer. CR-V? Elements? Sequoia? ...they are doing fine.

I wasn't going to buy a car today. I'm at work and there were thunderstorms. I don't fly helicopters in Thunderstorms, so I was passing time on the internet and ended up browsing today's sale list at the local Copart Auction. After getting the Prius for an $1,150 bid two weeks ago, I've been looking at other hybrids. CR-Z's are pretty cool and a 2011 model with repairable body damage was coming up with no reserve and no starting bid. I put down a low-ball $600 bid, just to watch it with a glimmer of hope. I was sure that it would sell over $2,000. By the start of the auction I had been outbid to $700 and bidding on most cars seemed high. No way would I win the CRZ, but I liked it and figured I'd go to $1,000 just to play. I saw $725, $750, I put in a $1,000 proxy bid - it would keep me at the increment above the next bidder up to $1,000, then I would be beat. $775, $800... Time ran out, Winner.

All-in with fees and delivery I'm still under $1,300 and super psyched to see the car. It could be delivered any time between now and Friday night. I won't know what my plans for the car are until after I do a thorough PPI (post purchase inspection). What do you know about CRZs? Learn me what I got?

https://www.copart.com/lot/36469562/salvage-2011-honda-cr-z-ex-ar-fayetteville

Just going by the pictures, interior and glass look good. Passenger door looks a little off at the bottom rear edge. Bumper covers are off, but I see one in the pics and they are usually included. Right front fender and headlight are trash, but I think the frame is good enough to bump into shape. It's going need a wheel for sure, but the suspension may be okay. The rear took a hit that looks easy to pull, but hard to see the damage clearly in the pic.

Some useful chatter... 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/cr-z-si-building-the-real-hybrid-hot-hatch/190814/page1/

Looks like the site Fuelly shows that people report a 38 mpg average. 

I have a 2011 CR-Z and it is a great car. It is my daily as I am a salesman on the road and drive anywhere form 1-200 miles per day. Average right around 38 MPG.

Automatic?

Door latch mechanisms are fragile, if it doesn't open easy try the other side.

I had one for a few years, hatchbacks are handy.

What airframe do you fly? I medical crew in a 135 on the east coast.

@John Welsh, Thanks for the links. I hadn't seen that build thread yet.

@Don49, A small car that you can enjoy 200 miles a day in sounds good.

@Daytonaer, Yes it's an Automatic. I'd prefer the six speed, but I'm really happy to just get one locally that will run and drive at a Challenge Car price. I flew A-Stars for quite a while and fly a 407GX now. Coming out of Blackhawks, I never thought I'd like a little single engine helicopter, but I really enjoy them now. Still, I'd love to have the interior space of a 135.

When I first heard that Honda was making the CR-Z I was thinking of getting one. Then when the reviews came out I was disappointed; worse mpg than a Civic from the '90s  (I had a Del Sol that got 50 mpg with a D15Z1 swapped in.), and not sportiness I was hoping for (Car and Driver 2011). I had driven and loved my step-dad's CRX in the 80s and had one briefly in the 2000s. The CR-Z just didn't live up to my expectation of the what evolution of the CRX should bring. 

I'm over that now. I'm not looking for another sports car, but a fun two seater hatch to get around with decent gas mileage. ..but yes, I have already googled "CRZ K Swap". Honestly I didn't put a lot of thought into it before the winning bid. They are just cool little cars and since passing on them in the early years, they have grown on me.

Is it going to be okay having the CVT? I've never spent time with a CVT.

The CVT is seamless in it's shifting and still allows some spirited driving. The car has 3 modes- normal, economy and sport. I just leave it in normal and get enough performance to be comfortable on acceleration ramps etc.             

Mechanically it seems to share a lot of bones with the Fit.

Watching this...neighbor has one. Any hope of a Datsun 280z or 80s RX7 vibe? 

It should be delivered while I'm at work tomorrow. Hopefully Mrs AAZCD will send me pics when it arrives. J1000's thread mentions the cam and rockers from a Fit and also upgrading the battery for more power. I like those ideas. I also saw that it takes the same size wheels as my '99 CR-V and that gave me other ideas. At the moment, I am not committed to anything other than initially getting it roadworthy. Once it's there, I'll start playing with it. A Rallycross build may be fun, but I already have lighter cars that may be more suitable. Whatever happens is likely to be more improvising from the junkyard rather than spending lots of money on custom parts. ...It's a wrecked $800 car and I'm a guy who does Gambler 500 Rallys more often than HPDE track days.

https://www.reddit.com/r/rally/comments/cuk6di/rally_crz_yes_please/

Agent98 said:

Watching this...neighbor has one. Any hope of a Datsun 280z or 80s RX7 vibe? 

I always liked those cars. What are you thinking, Any pics or builds for inspiration?

I owned one for a couple months last year. It was slow and ridiculously unstable on the highway. It felt like I was constantly fighting the steering wheel to keep the car straight. After taking it to Honda and them telling me everything was a-ok I just parked it in my yard and sold for a massive loss a bit later. Absolutely terrible car and I wouldn't recommend one to anybody because even if you are only using it for city driving the MPG sucks compared to a Civic hybrid or Prius. 

In reply to iammclovin804 :

If I had bought one when they were still new, with the expectation that they were the hybrid sports car evolution of the CRX, I'd be very disappointed. Obviously much of what it *could* have been was lost in the convergence of engineering, marketing, and accounting. Honda didn't want to narrow the scope of buyers to enthusiasts only, but didn't push it into the hyper-miler realm either. I really think that the company was in transition at the time (Killing the Element, pushing out all the bland Accords and Civics they could sell etc.). They had a good start to the design and couldn't agree on where to go with it and left it hanging in the middle.

In my case, I just bought a 2nd gen Prius and thought, "Interesting and well applied design for an appliance, but 'Appliance'." At least on appearance and what I have seen people do with modifications, the CR-Z is in it's own unique niche; Not a sports car. Not an appliance. What is it? For the price, it will be hard to disappoint me unless it is truly undriveable.

In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :

I look at it as the failed child of the crx. The crx being the perfect blend of enthusiast car and appliance. I just don't understand some of their design choices

Honda is creative but sure has their share of misfires. why can't they make a truncated Civic into a CRX next gen? The Gremlin was a truncated Hornet....

I'll be following, I've looked at them a few times but never pulled the trigger.

The car was Not picked up from the Copart lot on Friday. If I was picking it up myself, I'd be charged for storage fees over the weekend. Since They are arranging delivery it's on them. I'm a little disappointed that it is not here yet, but I'm at work 7 am to 7 pm today and tomorrow is Easter, so Monday is good. I'm off all day on Monday and Tuesday.

I use a 2011 CVT for a daily tool. 42 miles one way with 20 miles of back roads and 10 traffic lights and the rest I-93 Boston traffic. I've never managed less than 41 mpg in the winter and usually 44 plus in the summer. I leave it in Normal mode. Sport mode if you want to make a pass, it helps a bit. I can't do Eco mode, WAAAAAY too neutered. Rear vision is NOT great for crowded highway lane changes. Rumor is the CVT might be made of glass, but I don't drive it in anger so I'm not worried. I got it because it wasn't a Prius. I never see them in NH/MA. Enjoy yours! 

Road feel and handling on the back roads....?

Reply to Agent98 

It drives like any other Honda of the era. I owned a first gen Fit Sport before this and they drive and handle about the same. Competent handling, but nothing special. 

AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) said:

 

@Daytonaer, Yes it's an Automatic. I'd prefer the six speed, but I'm really happy to just get one locally that will run and drive at a Challenge Car price. I flew A-Stars for quite a while and fly a 407GX now. Coming out of Blackhawks, I never thought I'd like a little single engine helicopter, but I really enjoy them now. Still, I'd love to have the interior space of a 135.

Then when the reviews came out I was disappointed; worse mpg than a Civic from the '90s  ...

...

 

Our company has a couple of BK 145's, so the thought of a spacious 135 is funny to me. 

If you can find the GRM print review of the CRZ it is quite favorable, they tested one side by side with the CRX. Rose tinted glasses, ethanol free fuel and 55mph speed limits factor in greatly IMO. Also, the BRZ/FRS twin release just after the CRZ and took attention/sales/development away.  When I ran ETOH free fuel and under 60mph I had no issue averaging 50mpg per tank, however doing that now a days is not common. 

Thinking about you needing a wheel: you will need a TPMS programmed to the car or sensors cloned. Unfortunately if the TPMS system is not functioning it will not allow you to disable the stability and traction control. The stability control is on par with a 2010's era systems, clunky but effective (will save your bacon on the street but kill your autocross time).

The 2011 hybrid battery is Nimh and robust, hopefully yours is fine. The 12v under hood battery doesn't last long with these cars because there is almost no use/discharge cycle. If the 12v battery is bad or weak all types of hybrid errors can occur.  Once you get it running you can charge the IMA battery by revving the engine and holding over 3000 rpm while watching the battery charge indicator. If it had the recall performed it won't let you fully charge and discharge on a regular basis, you will always have one or 2 bars to go. 

It is likely not a bad idea to adjust the valves, they are probably tight and loose. You should get intake manifold gaskets and a valve gasket to do the job. 

The IMA system is cool, and has about the smoothest start/stop function of any car I have been in with one. (flywheel starter off 12v battery exists but is only used in extreme weather; mostly below freezing, or if IMA battery is dead, regular starts are with the IMA assist motor and high voltage battery)

With the battery over the rear axle and a short wheelbase it rotates nicely with lift off throttle, at least with a manual transmission. It handles well for a FWD macpherson strut, but is not a double wishbone honda. 

The sport normal and eco buttons change the: throttle pedal response maps,  electric steering assist, climate control modes (how aggressive it is to achieve set temp) and "shift" patterns.  If you find yourself getting frustrated at the stop/start function killing the engine and thus AC in stop and go traffic you can over-ride by putting the climate control mode in defrost.  

It's here. Started right up with a jump. Drove great around the driveway. No unusual warning lights. I'm at the tire shop now with the wheel that was off of it due to a big slice in the tire.

In reply to daytonaer :

Not sure where you are at, but here when the CRX was new, pretty much all gasoline was E10.  I only started paying attention in 1985.

The big question now is, what should I do with it. It is in good enough condition that I can do the full repair and make it nearly as good as before the collision. That's going to cost a lot more than I paid for it. The headlight alone is about $500.

To make it 'fully repaired' it's going to need at least:

• Front bumper cover (current one is repairable with a lot of labor).
• Lower and right side radiator core support. (Spot weld in).
• Right fender.
• Right headlight.
• Rear bumper (metal bar).
• Paint.
• Plastic weld or replace miscellaneous trim pieces.

That's not really a lot when you consider the total cost vs end value.

To drive it, all I need at this point is a headlight and turn signal. I can grab that from the scrap pile and screw it to the car easily. I already put a good tire on and got the fender and front frame into an acceptable shape. That is most likely what I will do initially. Not pretty, but I can see if I like the car as a driver before spending a couple thousand $ to make it right. I can't see leaving it that way long term though.

Next choice is to improvise. I like the Rally 'style', and think this could be a fun car for some Rallycross or even a Gambler 500. I could harden it up and give it a five foot paint job. Put wider track wheels on with taller tires. Adjust fender space as needed. Maybe not the best choice I have to be competitive in Rallycross, but affordable and suitable to drive there and back rather than trailering another car for a long drive.

I am uncommitted and undecided right now. Next? Rig a headlight and get it registered. After that I'm calling a couple places on car-part.com to see what the "$Call" price is to ship some parts here. Nothing is coming up locally.

I'm not proud of the duct tape-zip tie repair. Call it desperation due to time and work schedule. The turn signal and headlight work and nothing fell off on the way to registration.