Bringing a 2001 Honda CRV back from the dead.
At the end of 2023, I purchased a beat-up, Nigerian-used Honda CRV 2001. Below, I have attached a picture of a similar one in the same colour as mine—gold. According to bid cars, the slightly dented one below is priced at $2,300. At the time, a foreign-used version in Nigeria was priced at about $4,000 (~N4,000,000), but I bought mine for a little less than $1,000 (~N1,023,000) in the town of Magbon in Lagos, Nigeria.
*CRV = Comfortable Runabout Vehicle
Why didn't I gather my funds and buy a totally working foreign-used one? Well, the answer is simple—I didn't have the funds. Rather, I decided to buy a beat-up, Nigerian-used one and attempt to fix it. In my head, I probably would not spend as much as $3,000 on fixing it. This article summarizes that journey over eight months and lists everything I replaced or fixed on the car. I have also shared the costs I remember. Where there are no specific costs listed, it is likely because I do not remember.
- There is nothing like a working foreign-used car in Nigeria in 2023 or 2024. Data reflects that 90% of cars imported into Nigeria are dented and/or damaged in some way- “A dented vehicle qualifies for a 30% rebate in tariff. But to benefit from the tariff rebate, some important components of the vehicle, including the chassis, airbags and a large chunk of the body, must be certified damaged”. Based on this, there are ZERO guarantees, even when buying a foreign used car. You simply buy the car and hope for the best.
Here is a list of things I either replaced, fixed or repaired on the car
1. The paperwork & plate numbers. Cost N150,000
Plate numbers are tied to identities in Nigeria, so most people prefer to remove their plate numbers before handing the car over to the new owner. While this sounds like a good idea, getting home with said car becomes a problem as you are now at the mercy of the unfriendly Nigerian police force who would harass and bully you for driving a car without plate numbers.
In my case, I pleaded with the previous owner to allow me drive the car home using his plates and then returned them to him the following day while I began the process of getting the paperwork for the car done because we needed to get the car on the road to the mechanic and without plate numbers, it was going to be an issue. It turned out that the previous owner did not properly register the car initially. Thus, even though the cost of a new vehicle license and registration was N95,000, I had to spend N150,000 to correct the error of the previous owner and get new plates.
2. Engine. Cost N480,000
Buying the car for a little less than $1,000 came at a cost. One such cost was a bad-smoking engine. As of November 2023, the engine initially retailed for N250,000 but had gone up to N330,000 by the time I was ready to pay. N20,000 went to transportation from Ladipo to this mechanic workshop, another N50,000 went to engine oil and oil filter, and another N30,000 paid for the service. Aside from replacing the shock absorbers and tyres, this is the single most expensive thing I have ever bought for this car aside from the car itself.
In the end, I spent N480,000 replacing the engine, including the service charge.
3. Alternator and Brain Box (ECU). Cost N85,000
It turned out that the alternator in the previous engine was not even for Honda in the first place, and this caused several power and performance issues, including draining the battery. My mechanic and I suspect that it belongs to a Toyota Camry 1999 model, but we have not been able to confirm yet.
Also, the brainbox had been previously swapped. To make matters worse, the swap was poorly done to give the car some resemblance of “security” and keep the remote transponder working, which created repeated engine startup failure issues. Did I mention that the ECU even had water damage? So, all of that had to go.
The engine I bought had an alternator, so we swapped that and only had to pay for the ECU- N40,000, the service- N35,000 and the addition of a relay, which brought the total to N85,000.
4. Power steering pump. N90,000
The power steering pump was weak, and we attempted to repair it, which cost an initial N8,000. However, that repair didn't last long, and the power eventually stopped working one day. So, I ordered a replacement for N40,000 alongside the power steering fluid and paid the service cost.
In total, I paid N90,000 for that, including the service charge.
5. Kickstarter- N60,000
Like the alternator, the Kickstarter started to fail, and we soon discovered, also like the alternator, that the Kickstarter in the car did not belong to the car. However, unlike the alternator, it did not come with the engine we bought. So, we searched for the correct part, which cost N45,000, and paid the service cost.
In total, I paid N60,000 for that, including the service charge.
6. Oil Switch- N20,000
Like the alternator, the oil switch also failed. This goes back to what I said about buying tokunbo cars and parts in Nigeria because this oil switch came with the “new” engine and then went bad. It is sometimes a game of chance (or faith). I ordered a replacement, which cost N10,000, and paid the service cost.
In total, I paid N20,000 for that, including the service charge.
7. Brake Callipers, Brake linings, Brake pot and Brake pads- N65,000
Like the alternator, the driver’s side brake callipers, the two drum brake linings at the back and brake pads in the front also failed, one after the other. I ordered replacements, which cost N35,000, and paid the service cost. The brake pot in the rear had to be fixed twice (because we attempted to repair it the first time rather than replace it, which failed).
In total, I paid N65,000 for that, including the service charge.
8. Shock absorbers and tyres- N430,000
This was the second most expensive purchase we made for the car: replacing all four bad shock absorbers and all four tyres.
The shock absorbers cost N30,000 each, totalling N150,000 (because we had to replace the left passenger side twice), and the tyres cost N60,000 each, totalling N240,000, bringing the total to N430,000, including transportation and the service charge.
Tip: Your left-side shock absorbers are likely to be damaged faster than the right ones due to a Honda design flaw.
9. Bobs and Bits I- Steering cover, Horns, Horn relay, Wipers, Headlights, Air filter, AC fuse, AC gas and relay- N80,000
Two horns came with the car, and one kept failing. In hindsight, the failure kept happening because the power from the alternator was low (which is why we had to change it), and the power drain from both horns was high. So we assumed the horns were bad and kept changing them (We bought three sets of horns for N7,000 each) until we discovered the truth about the problem. Since we could not find the original Honda horns, the solution was to add a relay to the horn while switching power to the alternator so only one horn would work (not both) until the alternator supplied power, which also helped to increase battery longevity.
Then, we replaced the steering cover with a washable rubber one that cost about N10,000 (Since the previous one was leather and had collected all sorts of girme and dirt), the engine air filter (since we didn't know how long the last one had been there), the wipers, which cost N7,000 (as they were beginning to cause scratches on the windscreen), and the headlight bulbs, which made it better to drive at night.
The compressor fuse began to “burn” in the middle of all of this. We thought it was a small issue until we had replaced the fuse five times. Then, we had to take the AC compressor out for service. Thankfully, it was nothing too serious.
The total for this came to N80,000, including the service charge.
10. Bobs and Bits II- Floor mats and boot carpet, Door handles x3 (+ one inside), Boot and driver side lock, Battery, Automatic window engines (x2), Jack and wheel spanner and Silencer- N197,000.
The floor mats looked aged, and the boot carpet was drenched in engine oil from a bad pumping jack. So we cleaned the car interior and replaced all the mats with nice black ones to match the black leather interior, which cost N17,000. The boot carpet was also replaced, costing another N17,000.
For some reason, we “lost” three outside door handles because they kept breaking. I am guessing they had become brittle with age, so they had to be replaced at N7,000 each. We also lost one inside, which cost another N7,000 to replace. At the same time, three power windows, including the driver’s side, stopped working. We replaced two of them at N10,000 each, totalling N20,000. There is still one more we have not done- the passenger window at the back- that is still pending but has not been an issue because the AC works.
The boot wasn't closing well, and the driver’s side lock was bad, too. Thankfully, we got a panel beater who helped to fix both without us replacing them. This cost another N5,000.
Remember how I said the boot was drenched in engine oil from a bad pumping jack? So we replaced the jack and the wheel spanner, which cost N27,000.
Also, the previous alternator had damaged the battery that came with the car, so we replaced it with the correct size (Honda CRV batteries are smaller than regular sizes). This cost N50,000.
Finally, we fixed the silencer and replaced one of the rubber. This cost N20,000.
The total for this came to N197,000, including the service charge.
If you are counting, so far we have spent N2,680,000 including the cost of buying the car and paperwork.
11. Fan belts (x9)- N25,000
Since we started fixing the car, we have replaced about nine fan belts. The reason for this is twofold: a design flaw from Honda and poor manufacturing standards in Nigeria.
Let’s start with the design flaw: The Honda car has a few design flaws. One such flaw is that the car was designed to use three belts—one for the alternator, one for the AC compressor, and a third for the power steering pump.
This design makes sense on paper and allows the car to keep going if you lose one or two belts (AC compressor and Power steering). Another “advantage” of this design is that the belts are very similar in size, so, in theory, you could “switch” them. For example, if your alternator and power steering belts got cut, you could move the belt to the alternator (since it is the most important) and keep going. The disadvantage of this design is that it works very differently in reality. Because the belts are close to each other and on the same side of the engine, when one belt cuts, the debris often gets into the second one, weakens and/or causes damage, spilling onto the third belt. So, in reality, losing one belt is as good as losing three of them. If/when you lose one belt, remember that at least one more is already weak and either keep a spare in the car or change it.
Poor manufacturing standards in Nigeria make it almost impossible to buy authentic fan belts in the country. Where they are available, they are often costly. In many cases, most people are forced to buy foreign used belts, i.e. tokunbo, which usually last longer and are more expensive than the supposed new ones. In the case of the CRV 2001, three new belts cost N3,600 at N1,200 each, while the tokunbo ones cost N14,000.
To go through nine belts, you need three sets of belts. We lost a set when the crankshaft pulley went bad, another set when the AC compressor belt went bad and when the power steering pump went bad.
We spent *N25,000 on belts in total.
- This cost is tentative because we have placed another order for another set of tokunbo belts.
12. The Ball joint problem aka “yawo”— N80,000
The ball joints and bushings are another Honda design flaw complicated by poor manufacturing standards in Nigeria. I’d explain.
The ball joint failure is not particularly a Honda problem, but it is one of the biggest reasons, aside from economic/ financial reasons, why Honda's popularity/ market share in Nigeria has declined so much. The Toyota 4runner, Sequoia and LandCrusier models all suffer from the same problem, but why does it look like only Hondas are affected?
- Hondas are generally cheaper cars (CRVs, EODs, Civics, Pilots, etc.), so you are more likely to see Hondas on the road with joint failure than Toyota models.
- Secondly, the Honda joints are more delicate than the Toyota ones, which means they are more likely to fail or break without warning.
- Thirdly, the roads in Nigeria are bad, which puts more stress on the already delicate joints, increasing their risk of failure.
- Finally? Spare parts. Finding/ getting authentic ball joint spare parts in Nigeria is challenging. If you buy a “fake one,” it could break because they are usually brittle. If you buy a tokunbo/ foreign-used one, the nut could be weak from use and become loose, leading to a failure. It is not as though buying a genuine part solves this problem. It only means the part could last longer.
The best way to avoid a recurring joint failure for your Honda is to avoid using the car altogether. However, most car alternatives are expensive and out of reach in 2024 Nigeria, so we must consider other options unless you choose not to have a car or afford the alternatives. If you choose to use the car, there are a combination of a few things:
- Change your joints every 6- 10 months: Don’t assume that because the joints have held on for 1–2 years, you then wait for them to fail. Remember, these joints undergo immense stress every time you drive, and when they fail, there is no warning. Data for things like this are scarce in Nigeria, but according to my research, the average time for a joint failure fell within this timeframe.
- Always have a spare joint in your car. This means that if/when it fails, you already have a spare to replace it, even if you cannot fix it yourself. If you can find help, fixing it takes 20–35 minutes.
- Always have the tools in your car: Finding help is one thing; having the tools to fix it is another. Most mechanics would have the spanners/ wrenches needed to replace the joint, but a particular nut requires a special spanner/ wrench and is specific to the CRV. Most people will not have it unless they own the car or fix such things regularly. Having this particular tool in your car increases your chances of getting out of a joint failure faster.
- Finally, pay attention to your car. From my research and even from the picture, the driver's side (left) joint is more likely to fail faster and more often than the passenger's side (right) joint. If you know which sounds are coming from the car, you can catch the joint and fix it before it fails so you are not stranded.
Replacing the bad joint, buying spare joints, and buying the tools to fix the joint, including the service charge, all cost N80,000
13. Lower and upper arms, Bushings (front and rear), Hubs- rear (x2)- N220,000
The car came with bad hubs on both sides of the rear, which meant the car was very loud at high speeds, and those had to be changed. We initially tried putting in new ball bearings for N15,000, but those only lasted a few months, so we had to go back to replacing them, which cost N100,000 in total.
Next, we replaced the bushings—another design flaw from Honda. The theory behind the design is that having multiple bushings, i.e., really thick rubber placed in several parts of the car, would make for a softer ride. In reality, because of bad roads, your bushings would fail often and lead to a noisy and harsher ride if you don't change them. Again, your left-side bushings will fail more often than the right ones.
Then, we replaced the upper and lower arms (which also contain their bushings and the thyroid). This cost N70,000
In total, we spent N220,000, including the service fees.
14. Engine, gear and axle oils, Gear sensors and switch, and Gear seal- N300,000
We put in fresh engine oil when we got the car, but buying a new engine meant that we had to put in fresh engine oil again, which cost N100,000 in total.
Then, we had to change the gear oil twice, which cost N120,000. This sounds expensive, but not doing it could have led to a total gearbox failure. So, comparing this to the cost of replacing the gearbox, I think it was fair. Next, we replaced two of the gearbox sensors and switches because the gears were not changing smoothly, and finally, we put in a new gear seal.
In total, we spent N300,000, including the service fees.
15. Bodywork, i.e panel beating, Crankshaft pulley, pump hose, Fuel pump and gauge, and Injector- N110,000
Does anyone bring any car back from the dead without doing some bodywork? Personally, I doubt it. So we did some bodywork underneath the car to fix poorly done work, rattling parts, and preventive maintenance to prevent future rust and damage.
Then, we repaired the pump hose—there is a big curved hose that goes from the point where you pour/ pump fuel into the tank. That started to leak, so we repaired it. The leaking has significantly reduced but has not stopped, meaning we would have to replace it later.
The fuel pump and fuel gauge went bad, and both had to be replaced. Then, the injector and injector sensor had to be replaced. These came with the new engine, so we didn't have to buy new ones; we simply swapped them in.
Finally, the crankshaft pulley went bad, damaging all the belts in the process and could not be repaired (downsides of buying tokunbo/ foreign-used engines) so we replaced it alongside new belts.
In total, we spent N110,000, including the service fees.
In total, we have now spent N3,415,000 including the cost of buying the car and paperwork.
Closing thoughts
Remember I said in the beginning that the cost of buying a foreign-used one (Tokunbo) at the time of buying the car was $4,000 (~N4,000,000), which means we are still within that cost or, more specifically, N585,000 away from it.
Exchange rates and inflation over the last eight months affected the cost of parts, so it is only fair to use the current rates and price of a foreign-used one (Tokunbo), which now costs N6,000,000 as seen on Jiji. This means we are still within that cost, or more specifically, N2,585,000 away from it, which sounds reasonable.
Also, as said earlier, “There is nothing like a working foreign-used car in Nigeria in 2023 or 2024. Data reflects that 90% of cars imported into Nigeria are dented and/or damaged in some way”. Thus, it is almost impossible to tell if your foreign-used one (Tokunbo) will have any issues and/or repairs to be done until after purchase and a few months of use. Based on this, we cannot categorically say if the N6,000,000 is the total or final price of the car.
Also, NO, we did not forget to repaint the car. We decided not to touch the exterior.
