My first love... 1988 Honda CRX Si - The car that would become Project 88

My story begins on a used car lot tucked behind a Budget outlet in Langley, BC in April 1996.

Budget Car Rental, Langley BC

I’d just landed my first decent job and was in the market for an Accord or Prelude. I was already sold on the brand since my first car was a ’78 Civic that had seen better days. When I arrived I noticed that there were both a Prelude and an Accord on the lot… and tucked neatly in the back corner was a red ’88 CRX Si. It was buried behind two rows of cars and was a little dirty.

After a short conversation with Derek-the-salesman I was on the road in the Accord. She was blowing a lot of blue smoke and even as an automotive novice I knew that was not a good sign. My next adventure was in the Prelude. The sunroof wouldn’t work and it smelled bad inside. Not quite enough to make me want to vomit, but enough that the little yellow tree wasn’t enough to successfully mask the aroma. I also test drove a Volkswagon Jetta, a Suzuki Samarai and even a Ford Aspire. 

My first car -- a beat up '78 Civic I bought from a friend's sister for $50

Each time I returned to the lot from a test drive my eyes were drawn to the CRX in corner, but I was afraid to take it out. I knew that if I did I would end up trying to buy it and I was sure that a car like that would be out of my price range. I wasn’t prepared to have my heart broken that day but I’d run out of vehicles to drive in my price range and it was getting late… I had to ‘shit or get off the pot’ as my parents would say. I’m sure that Derek-the-salesman believed I was wasting his time, but he moved the two cars blocking it in without missing a beat. Derek-the-salesman explained the car had sat for a while and had a dead battery, but I was understanding.

One of the earliest pictures of my first CRX; an 88 Si.

I sat inside the CRX and waited for Derek-the-salesman to boost the car and I had a look around. It was different than my friend’s ’87 Si. The dash tilted slightly towards the driver, and the “CRX” on the door panels were the two differences I noticed immediately. In hindsight, I think I was sold right then and there.

The test-drive was fairly uneventful; what I remember most was being scared of stalling the car since it had been a few years since I’d driven a manual transmission car and the pressure was amplified because of the failing battery.

I returned to the dealership and proudly declared to Derek-the-salesman that I would take it, but I needed to make sure that I could get the payments that fit my budget. I was introduced to the business manager, John, who crunched the numbers but sadly I had to walk away. They said that because of my young age (I was 21) I would need a co-signor which I couldn’t provide at that time. In the week that followed I drove a few more CRXs, a DX and a couple Si’s and even a Mazda Precidia GS.

Then it happened. I received a call at work from Derek-the-salesman. He asked if I was still interested in the car, which I was, and he said that we could work something out. This time I took my father to help me check out the car. With Dad’s Seal of Approval, I went back in to see John and not only did I get the CRX, I got $1500 off the sticker price but I didn’t have to get a co-signor. I had to wait two very long and agonizing weeks to pick her up but on May 16th, 1996 she was all mine!

My 1988 CRX Si, circa June 1997

I’m not sure what exactly led me to that dealership on that Saturday. Almost 15 years later it’s easy to say that it was God, or fate, or destiny or whatever, but no matter what you choose to call it, that day changed my life forever. That sounds like a very cheesy thing to say but it’s the truth. Almost everything I’ve done in my life for fifteen years has had some connection to that car and that day.

My 1988 CRX Si circa 1999

Remember, this blog was written in chronological order so, you will need to click OLDER POSTS to move forward in time, and click NEWER POSTS to go backwards.