The reason I bought the 5-Speed was the 4.56 axle ratio in the 5-Speed versus the 4.36 axle ratio in the automatic, thus more pulling power!!  Those of you from the "muscle car" era will definitely understand this reasoning.
 
The automatic's "gear hunting" in rush our traffic was especially unsettling in a heavy rain during a test drive.  The AWD activation was MUCH LESS controllable with the automatic on muddy roads.  SNOW, now that would make it really interesting!
 
I have vehicles with automatic transmissions but they are larger vehicles with larger engines.  My brother just sold his less than 20,000miles 1998 Honda Civic EX coupe AUTOMATIC due to the dissatisfaction with the performance and drive ability of an automatic tranny in such a small car. 
 
In my hilly/mountainous area of the southeast the CR-V 5-speed EX is hard to find at Dealer's.  I guess "Car and Driver" magazine's evaluation that the 5-Speed was the best choice didn't help supply.
 
THE LOCAL DEALER SAID, "NO ONE WANTS THE 5-SPEED, SO WE DON'T STOCK THEM" or "HONDA HAS LOW DEMAND FOR THE 5-SPEED SO THEY DON'T MAKE MANY".  Typical dealer sales tactics to push the MANY automatics on the lot (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
 
ROAD TRIP,
The Saltman
http://bsalt.com

The Accord (1986) that my wife brought
with her when we got married was an excellent car but the tranny drove me
nuts. I was on the verge of adding a switch to manually control the
torque convertor lock down. That was my only real complaint with the
tranny.



Of course I basically don't like the auto-slush boxes when bolted to a
four banger. IMHO there just isn't enough HP/torque to run an auto. Plus
I like the better variety of gears in a 5 spd versus a 4 spd auto.



There are days when I'm in traffic alot and I dream about an auto, but it
quickly fades away once I get moving again.



Our Accord's tranny's torque convertor used to switch in and out
CONSTANTLY when on the interstate . The routine was something like
this.... Decelerate a little to match slower traffic ahead, and the
torque convertor unlocks. On acceleration, it would lock up again with a
bump. Made me insane (though my wife couldn't care less). I just couldn't
imagine buying a $20K car I would hate because of it's tranny.



I do like the concept of being able to creep around when in the rough
better with the auto.



There is a definite power advantage with the manual but I would love to
get a 6th gear for lower rpm cruising (of course I'd complain about the
power loss there too... he he). If you want noise, let me run you down
the highway in my '78 VW Westfalia. At 70, it spins at something like
3800 rpm and sounds like 14,000 with some loose metal parts in side....
he he



So... has anyone considered adding the Acura 3.2L V-6 behind a five
speed????



$$$$$



Enjoying the discussion folks!



Take care.









The reason I
bought the 5-Speed was the 4.56 axle ratio in the 5-Speed versus the 4.36
axle ratio in the automatic, thus more pulling power!!  Those of you
from the "muscle car" era will definitely understand this
reasoning.

 

The automatic's "gear hunting"
in rush our traffic was especially unsettling in a heavy rain during a
test drive.  The AWD activation was MUCH LESS controllable with the
automatic on muddy roads.  SNOW, now that would make it really
interesting!

 

I have vehicles with automatic
transmissions but they are larger vehicles with larger engines.  My
brother just sold his less than 20,000miles 1998 Honda Civic EX coupe
AUTOMATIC due to the dissatisfaction with the performance and drive
ability of an automatic tranny in such a small car. 

 

In my hilly/mountainous area of the
southeast the CR-V 5-speed EX is hard to find at Dealer's.  I guess
"Car and Driver" magazine's evaluation that the 5-Speed was the
best choice didn't help supply.

 

THE LOCAL DEALER SAID, "NO ONE
WANTS THE 5-SPEED, SO WE DON'T STOCK THEM" or "HONDA HAS LOW
DEMAND FOR THE 5-SPEED SO THEY DON'T MAKE MANY".  Typical
dealer sales tactics to push the MANY automatics on the lot
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

 

ROAD TRIP,

The Saltman

http://bsalt.com




Chris and Holly
Cookeville, TN


hbcmills@multipro.com
ICQ: 5944649


'78 Westy (maybe CIS injected soon or Corvair powered & CIS
injected)


'65 Beetle (Type IV powered with '69,'72,'74,'78, & '58
pieces)

Hey Saltman, where are you located?
Just curious. I am located in N. Mid TN.



We had the same trouble finding a 5 spd. The Cookeville Honda dealer
actually told us that Honda didn't make a 5 spd in 1999! I corrected him,
and he humbly proclaimed that he had never seen one before (AND would I
bring my 5 spd in for test drives for customers that were interested in
the 5 spds!!! His price was $2500 more than what we finally bought ours
for in Cleveland, TN.)



It's funny to hear sales folks claim that Honda doesn't make very many
manual tranny CR-V's. I lived in southern Italy for 3 years and in my
travels, Americans are the only ones that drive automatics in great
numbers. The correct statement would probably be that Honda doesn't make
very many automatics, but all of them get sent here and the 5 spds don't
get on the ship to be sent here often....



What I want is a 6 speed - lower low gear and higher (slightly) high
gear... And a 3.2L Acura V-6, and a sunroof, and....

Bought my 5-Speed CR-V EX (June 1999), from the largest Honda dealer network in the country.  They have 5 dealerships and they have the SECOND largest single dealership in the USA located in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
http://www.hendrickimports.com/
When I bought my CR-V, I E-mailed dealers as far away as 1500 miles from my home.  THE ONLY DEALER THAT HAD ONE EXACTLY LIKE I WANTED WAS RICK HENDRICK IMPORTS in Charleston, South Carolina at the ocean port.
Made the PRICE deal through their Internet sales.  I must say I was extremely pleased and the trip was very nice too.
WHETHER they were totally truthful doesn't really matter.  They were the ONLY dealer that E-mailed me with an actual vehicle at an exact no-haggle price.  I took the E-mails that included the total price and vehicle VIN#.  They honored everything and the vehicle was perfect.  I WON'T MENTION THE PRICE I PAID BUT I WAS THERE THE NEXT DAY (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) might be a one time thing ya know!
My family has multiple Honda's so we watch the local dealer for 5-Speed CR-V EX's regularly, only seen ONE(GREEN) since February 1999. 
 
SALTMAN

Well, we probably got the only other 5
spd green CR-V in the SE US then...