It's the EX model, 4 cyl, auto, all wheel drive, 184k and very clean (originally from outside the rust belt). What to look for or at least be aware of on these?
I've heard some 04's were prone to tempermental heater issues but not sure how factual that is.
I've had an '04 CRV EX since new. Best vehicle I've ever owned. So much so that I can't tell you anything to look for, since virtually nothing out of the ordinary has ever gone wrong with it.
Oh, but then again, mine only has 167k on it, so maybe they fall apart between that mileage and yours, who knows?
My father in law has an '04 2wd from new. It has well over 200k miles and the only parts that have been serviced are:
Water pump
Door lock solenoids
Tensioner
Other than that it has been rock solid with just regular maintenance.
Want a one owner step up???
I have a 2004 AWD CR-V with the rare 5 speed manual. In general, it has been good but we have had problems with the A/C compressor. After looking this up online, it appears that a number of people have had this issue. When the A/C compressor packs it in, apparently it sends metal fragments into the rest of the system. We replaced the compressor which fixed the A/C for about a year, but then it failed again. Apparently the metal fragments left behind in the system work their way into the new A/C pump and damage it. Replacing the compressor is not so easy, since it is not very accessible.
In reply to mainlandboy:
Yeah we've got an 02 with around 175k and the a.c. E36 M3 the bed. Beside that it's been awesome. Just the occasional brake job and tires, and a leaky seal or two. Change the fluids and go love life.
I've been looking at second generation CRVs lately. I like the look of the 2004 better, but if you can find 2005 or 2006, you get a fifth gear for the automatic and side airbags.
And they have the rather wonderful Honda K-series engine, so hankerings for 400-800 whp is only a few websites away 
mainlandboy wrote: I have a 2004 AWD CR-V with the rare 5 speed manual. In general, it has been good but we have had problems with the A/C compressor. After looking this up online, it appears that a number of people have had this issue. When the A/C compressor packs it in, apparently it sends metal fragments into the rest of the system. We replaced the compressor which fixed the A/C for about a year, but then it failed again. Apparently the metal fragments left behind in the system work their way into the new A/C pump and damage it. Replacing the compressor is not so easy, since it is not very accessible. http://www.ebay.com/gds/The-Honda-CRV-s-Problematic-AC-Compressor-Black-Death-/10000000018634628/g.html
I recommended and helped a friend purchase a 2g CRV about 2 years ago. It had about 160k at that time. I had to replace the AC compressor at some point so that mileage area seems to be common denominator in this thread..
Anyway, the compressor is NOT easy. I sagged the subframe about as far out as it would come without actually taking it out to snake that compressor in and out. Fortunately i did find that the evaporator core was surprisingly easy to remove, as i found out when i needed to access the TXV twice during the repair process. 
My mom has a 2005 and the only thing she's replaced, outside of consumables, was the already mentioned A/C. Last time I was home, it drove like new and it has over 250K miles.
My wife finally decided to trade up from her '03 CRV last year. Like others have mentioned it was dead reliable with the exception of the AC compressor exploding sending chunks through the entire system. Since it was my wife's daily, we had the dealer replace it.
SWMBO has a 2004 CRV AWD, and loves it. It has 155k on it and has only needed brakes and tires- except for losing the AC compressor at just under 100k. Honda took care of it after a little prodding. I will be replacing the old CRV with a new CRV, I'm told.
The one we almost were going to buy sold the night before we could get back to it. Now she saw an '04 Honda Element she really likes. This is getting interesting so stay tuned.
Does the a/c compressor problem span the entire second generation, or just a few years?
Does the Element suffer from the same a/c issues as the CRVs of similar vintage?
I was shopping for a CRV, couldn't find one that I wanted. Really wanted a blue / black, manual, and without a grenanded AC unit. They seem to hold their value because there was a bunch of nutjobs asking $5-7k for a 300k mile example.
I can't speak across the board on these but of the 3 CR-V's I've looked closely at, all 3 seemed to have properly functioning a/c systems with no major repair history. 2 of the 3 were not considered for purchase ultimately due to evidence of lack of routine maintenance in other areas of the vehicle, and the 3rd one sold before we returned for a 2nd purchase ready look.
Enter the Element into the mix. Based on the sellers ads I've seen for the Elements, they seem to be owned by a different type of owner, say one who wants to be somewhat different than the rest? At least that's what it seems so far. As for a/c issues with Elements, could be same/similar as same era CR-V's? I've discovered some early year Elements (haven't heard this for the CR-V's but certainly possible) were shipped new with bad or improper coolant in them, but Honda discovered this fairly quickly and they were recalled/fixed.
And for us, a/c is not the most important feature although it is nice. When you only have a few weeks of really hot weather a year in this godforsaken climate, it's not as important as a damn good heater which you need the other 9 months of the year.
I think the majority of them will need major ac repairs at some point. Im going back in on my friend's CR-V in the coming week because the reman compressor clutch failed. I would really like to warranty the compressor but the labor on it is so much that i'd rather she eat the $80 for a clutch/coil/bearing repair kit than get a free compressor and pay me WAY MORE than $80 for labor to R&R it.
Is removing the a/c compressor on the Element equally difficult?
Mom's CR-V is a newer model, forget the year, but it has 80,000+ miles on it and so far it has needed gas and oil.
In reply to Woody:
Judging by what i'm seeing here, it looks like a similar process but with extra room due to the difference in front end design.
My wife also had an EX '04...best car we ever owned bar none. Absolute best. In the 10 years and 100k plus miles it only needed one set of tires, brakes once, and the ac mentioned above a couple of years ago. Total cost for an independent shop was around $600. My brother in law now owns it with 160k miles and still going strong.
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