Happy Wife, Happy Life

"LastFirstMI is my name" (donstone13)
03/16/2019 at 20:38 • Filed to: Cheaper than divorce

My wife has been hating her Crosstour since I bought it a few years ago. Abbreviated version of the story- we were moving back from overseas and I picked it out on CarMax so she’d have a car on arrival- and like some of my other gifts, it was not a hit. Live and learn. At least she kept the engagement ring- so far. Regarding the Hondstrosity- It is functional, reliable, efficient, and.... ugly. So ugly.

She’s not wrong. It is an ugly car, even to someone like me who loves wagons. It has the Kardashian booty of wagons. I’m going to use it for winter duty until my daughter starts driving next spring. Hopefully it’ll be dorky enough to keep the boys away; a dad can hope, right?

The FJ seems pretty solid for 105,000 miles. A little surface suspension and exhaust rust, so it wasn’t a garage queen, but nothing too bad for the price. It has a Ricochet skid plate (that looks unscathed for what it’s worth) and Toytec coilovers. Doesn’t look like a lift, but it could be an inch or so:

Any off-road Oppos that know about these things can educate me. The Hankooks hum, but if it doesn’t bother my wife, who cares? It won’t be our road trip vehicle. The exhaust seems a little loud, but I think it is worn-out stock rather than aftermarket.

We paid for a warranty since it might’ve been abused, and it should do fine for ski-hill and Costco duty for my wife. The plastic interior will also work for wet dog, muddy hiking boot, and garden supply duty!

Back to the Crosstour- I’m thinking of planning a drive through BC and Yukon to Denali and the arctic circle. I think with some gnarly tires and a roof rack it might be the perfect car to sacrifice to my crazy plan.... and my wife won’t mind at all if it gets run over by a logging truck or mauled by a bear!

DISCUSSION (9)

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > LastFirstMI is my name
03/16/2019 at 23:06

Would love to read your travelog of the arctic trip in the Crosstour if you do it. On paper it has everything you need especially if it is the V6 + AWD but damn it’s so ugly. They should have made it a wagon.

LastFirstMI is my name > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
03/16/2019 at 23:18

It really is a great car. AWD, V6 Accord wagon. They just wanted to do a SUV-ish thing, and it didn’t work. Either should’ve just gone straight wagon (and I wouldve been the only person in North America to buy one) or honest crossover- oh wait that’s the Passport.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > LastFirstMI is my name
03/16/2019 at 23:23

Speaking of which I just test drove the Passport today. Good vehicle for the class. Will post a full review soon.

lone_liberal > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
03/16/2019 at 23:43

Looking forward to it. Honda wasn’t on my list for my next DD until I sat in one at the local car show. It fit me so well now it might be at the top of the list. I do wish it had more torque.

LastFirstMI is my name > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
03/16/2019 at 23:47

They’ll sell more Passports in a month than the Crosstour did in a year!

The Dummy Gummy > LastFirstMI is my name
03/17/2019 at 00:36

Love the color and look of the FJ

LastFirstMI is my name > The Dummy Gummy
03/17/2019 at 01:05

Thanks!

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > LastFirstMI is my name
03/17/2019 at 02:41

Thats funny - I also own a ugly-butt Crosstour and my wife also hates it. But it has been ultra reliable, so I'm loathe to get rid of it at the moment

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > LastFirstMI is my name
03/17/2019 at 03:32

FINALLY someone on Oppo owns an FJ , one of the coolest cars ever made. It’s l ike a 1:1 Tonka Truck and I love 'em.