Every car fan has a moment like this one. You are driving along, minding your own business, and something from another era appears at the edge of your vision. In a reel from @bendaga, the creator describes exactly that, saying they almost snapped their neck in half when they spotted an abandoned Honda CRX sitting in the wild. The caption asks a question that every project car fan has asked at some point, whether the little Honda is worth bringing back to life or whether it is too far gone.
The creator opens by saying they found an abandoned CRX and want to buy it. It looks like a second generation car, completely surrounded by foliage, and it appears to have been in a front end collision. It has a five speed manual transmission. The interior looks completely abused, along with the outside.
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What The Creator Found
The walk around is where the story gets interesting. The creator tried knocking on the door, but it looks like nobody is home. They wonder whether the engine is even still in the car, because there does not seem to be any exhaust. They point out something they call kind of crazy, which is that a door hinge appears to be holding the hood up. On the ground there are some parts, and there is a battery, and then the creator gives a look at the front end.
Nothing in the reel claims that the car is in good shape, and the creator is refreshingly honest about that. It has been abused inside and out, it has crash damage, and it has been swallowed up by plants. What it does have is rarity, which the creator explains in a single line. It is getting harder and harder to find these in decent condition.
Why The CRX Gets People This Excited
For anyone who did not grow up in the late eighties, the Honda CRX was a small, light, two seat hatchback that earned a loyal following. The creator describes it simply as a very simple, lightweight Honda from the late 80s, and that is a good summary of its appeal. Simple means there is not much to go wrong. Lightweight means a modest engine feels lively. A car like that was inexpensive to buy and inexpensive to run, which is why so many were driven hard and modified and then simply used up.
That history is exactly why clean examples are now difficult to find. Many were wrecked, many were stripped for parts, and many were parked and forgotten, just like this one. The creator mentions that they used to own one, though it was the first generation, and that personal connection explains the excitement. The creator also admits that at this point they have probably completely lost their mind with these Hondas.
The creator also makes a point about trim level. Based on the color combination, the creator assumes this car is not an Si, which was the sportier version. That matters to collectors, since the Si models tend to be the ones that people chase hardest, but it does not make a basic CRX any less charming to those who simply love the shape and the size.
The Note For The Owner
The most human part of the story comes at the end. Having failed to find anyone home, the creator decides to leave a note and see if they can get in contact with the owner. It is a polite, old fashioned way of handling a find like this, and it is the right one. Whatever shape a car is in, someone owns it, and someone may have a story or a reason for leaving it where it is.
If you ever find yourself in the same position, here are a few simple pointers.
Stay on public ground. Do not step onto private property without permission. If the car is on someone’s land, knock on the door or leave a note where it can be seen.
Include a way to reach you. A phone number or email address, a short friendly message and the fact that you would like to buy it are usually enough.
Do not assume it is abandoned. A car that looks forgotten can still belong to someone with sentimental reasons for keeping it. Rules about abandoned vehicles differ from place to place, and only the owner or the local authorities can say whether a car is really abandoned.
Be ready to hear no. Plenty of owners will not sell, and some will not answer. Being polite keeps the door open.
Take photos from the street. They help you remember what you saw, and they help if you later describe the car to the owner.
Is It Worth Saving
The creator ends by asking the audience whether the car is worth restoring, and that is a fair question with no easy answer. The signs in the reel are not encouraging. Front end damage, a missing exhaust, an abused interior and a hood propped up by a door hinge all point to a big job. An engine that may or may not be present adds another question mark.
Still, project car people see things differently. A body that has been sitting in foliage may still be solid underneath, and a simple car like this one is a good candidate for a patient owner with a modest budget. The things to check before spending a dollar are the usual ones. Look at the floors and the rear wheel arches for rust. Look at the frame rails and the front structure for crash damage that is more than cosmetic. Check that there is a title, since a car without paperwork can become a legal headache. And ask whether the engine and transmission are there and turn over freely.
The honest answer is the one most enthusiasts would give. It depends on what you want out of the car. If you want a perfect showpiece, there are cleaner ones out there, even if they cost more. If you want a project with a story, and you love these little Hondas, a car like this one might be exactly the right kind of crazy.
Whether the owner ever called the creator back is not something the reel tells us, and the caption does not say. For now, the little hatchback is still out there under the leaves, waiting for someone to make up their mind.