[Guna]

Congratulations! I was wondering why the dashboard is looking grayish. Isn't it black?

[raghu230506]

Congratulations, Nice color choice.

Drive safe and have fun.

[sgiitk]

Dash is black-beige. Black can look like grey under certain light conditions. In fact a very dark grey and black often look the same.

Fifth alloy has not been standard for quite some time. In fact more and more cars are now being sold with four alloys. Also, wheel rotation is more often than not a four wheel affair.

[issigonis]

Congrats, nice choice of car and colour.

Had been looking for your posts for some time- got here serendepitiously.

Query 1 :

Why do you dislike sunfilm?

Sunfilm will be required, especially in hot weather regions such as ours; apart from the excessive use of high levels of airconditioning in your runs, the dash will age fast. Please use a reliable brand ( e.g.,VKool, Huber Optik- this is no longer available in India,I think) and see to it that your choice conforms with ARAI/RTO/Police regulations.

[I chose VKool keeping in mind the regulations and infra red reflectance in mind- came to know that the police in north India are sensitive to darker shades of sunfilm and so chose an almost transparent film with the requisite IR reflectance. I intend to drive a bit from Bombay to the north.It set me back considerably, but I find that I can now drive at 25 degrees and still feel very cool when Bombay swelters at 40 degrees plus, with high humidity to boot.]

Query 2 :

How helpful are the parking sensors? Do they help in real world parallel parking situations? Should one drive extra carefully so as to avoid damage to the sensors? Traffic in Kanpur can get very chaotic and unpredictable.

Query 3 :

How comfortable are you with the ground clearance? How do you navigate bumps in Kanpur? I'd expect smooth roads and possibly no unreasonably high bumps in IITKGP!

Query 4 : Have you posted your car purchase decision and reasons for the selection here? If so, let me have the link.


Happy and safe driving.

Regards

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Query 1 :
Why do you dislike sunfilm?

Kanpur is hotter than Mumbai, but I find a higher transparency in the front windscreen as compared to the windows quite disconcerting. Had this problem once with my M800 in 1987, and also my father's NE in 1991-95. Never tried film since.

Originally Posted by issigonis

Congrats, nice choice of car and colour.
Query 2 :
How helpful are the parking sensors? Do they help in real world parallel parking situations? Should one drive extra carefully so as to avoid damage to the sensors? Traffic in Kanpur can get very chaotic and unpredictable.

The rear visibility in both Civic & City is poor, esp. if like me, you look through the rear windscreen. They are useful, and yes traffic is chaotic. Let us wait and see.

Originally Posted by issigonis

Query 3 :
How comfortable are you with the ground clearance? How do you navigate bumps in Kanpur? I'd expect smooth roads and possibly no unreasonably high bumps in IITKGP!

Incidentally KGP is Kharagpur & not Kanpur. Before buying took the test car through our bumps, with no issues whatsoever.

Originally Posted by issigonis

Query 4 : Have you posted your car purchase decision and reasons for the selection here? If so, let me have the link.

I was looking at the D-segment petrols (only 8000km or so a year so diesels were out). The options - Civic, Altis, Laura, Jetta. The last two being from the VW stable were out. Test drove both Civic and Altis. Liked both. Finally it was, if MT then Altis, if AT then Civic. We opted for the AT

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Kanpur is hotter than Mumbai, but I find a higher transparency in the front windscreen as compared to the windows quite disconcerting. Had this problem once with my M800 in 1987, and also my father's NE in 1991-95. Never tried film since.

I agree on visibility factor - but I think sunfilms no longer look good too, from both inside & outside.

With every car buyer putting sunfilms of varying quality & darkness, a car without sunfilm (especially a Civic which has a large glass area) looks refreshingly "different". Also, sitting inside a Civic without sunfilm, the view outside is a lot clearer too - its like sitting in a convertible (well not exactly, but almost).

Any car (with or without sunfilm) kept in the sun for more than 20 minutes gets hot anyway - I see no point in putting a sunfilm - especially if the AC is powerful enough (like in the Civic) to cool the cabin rapidly.

I don't get the "privacy" logic either - when we are walking on the street or sitting in an aircraft/bus/train, we don't have this privacy. Then why "hide" from others sitting inside a car, especially when you don't plan to do anything naughty or illegal?

[Abhi_Automobile]

The options - Civic, Altis, Laura, Jetta. The last two being from the VW stable were out.

Quite a few people have expressed concern over VW service. Are we carrying SKODA impression? Or is VW not consistent either. I mean not even HONDA gives a service like Maruti does.

I may consider a VW sedan which may be competing with HINDA CIVIC (used) sedan for a berth in my garage. Basically, is VW= SKODA; or not??

[sgiitk]

@abhi: I may add that the Jetta is poor value for money. They are just charging for the VW label - Audi is fine but VW! There is no franchise in Kanpur and the Lucknow dealership is owned by a senior BSP leader. There are already reports of service issues with VW. Also, the Jetta & Laura must be sharing the same parts bin - e.g. Compressor and Alternator. Remember the stuff that the motoring press got were almost total imports. When it is my own money, better safe than sorry.

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Kanpur is hotter than Mumbai, but I find a higher transparency in the front windscreen as compared to the windows quite disconcerting. Had this problem once with my M800 in 1987, and also my father's NE in 1991-95. Never tried film since.

>>> You can put the same film all round as I have. The transparency will then be the same. I put sunfilm of the highest transparency ( will have to get back to you on specs iy you require) to avoid questioning by the police of any state

Originally Posted by sgiitk

The rear visibility in both Civic & City is poor, esp. if like me, you look through the rear windscreen. They are useful, and yes traffic is chaotic. Let us wait and see.

>>> I have put a screen in the rear windscreen ( this was before I had the sunfilm) to keep the car cool for the occupants in the rear - there is no change in visibility in my case.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Incidentally KGP is Kharagpur & not Kanpur. Before buying took the test car through our bumps, with no issues whatsoever.
I

>>> Sorry a typo confusion! No bump problem is nice to hear. When I took a test drive of the Civic AT last year in arguably the worst road in the country ( Andheri-Kurla Road in Bombay), I was acutely conscious of the ground clearance.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

I was looking at the D-segment petrols (only 8000km or so a year so diesels were out). The options - Civic, Altis, Laura, Jetta. The last two being from the VW stable were out. Test drove both Civic and Altis. Liked both. Finally it was, if MT then Altis, if AT then Civic. We opted for the AT

Ok, that figures. Just that I think the VW cars have different (higher?) quality benchmarks re. the Skoda marque, although they belong to the same group.

Regards

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@abhi: I may add that the Jetta is poor value for money. They are just charging for the VW label - Audi is fine but VW! There is no franchise in Kanpur and the Lucknow dealership is owned by a senior BSP leader. There are already reports of service issues with VW. Also, the Jetta & Laura must be sharing the same parts bin - e.g. Compressor and Alternator. Remember the stuff that the motoring press got were almost total imports. When it is my own money, better safe than sorry.

>>> Perhaps you are correct, but my experience has been very different. VW might be struggling to select a good dealer in UP.
German cars have higher maintenance costs undoubtedly.

[sgiitk]

@issigonis: Just realised your handle is the name of the genius responsible for the Mini.

I think in terms of quality the Japs (and the Koreans of late) have the Krauts licked.

Remember in a smaller city you are stuck with the dealer (mostly only one). I did hear that VW is looking for franchisees from the Honda pack, rather than the Skoda pack.

In about 3-4 years time I will be looking to change my Santro. It must be an AT since the 'boss' refuses to drive a manual. Then we will see.

[vasoo]

Originally Posted by Guna

Congratulations! I was wondering why the dashboard is looking grayish. Isn't it black?

Civic dashboard is "nearly" black but not with a smooth finish as in ANHC. So it will appear grayish in bright sunlight.

[Abhi_Automobile]

I think in terms of quality the Japs (and the Koreans of late) have the Krauts licked.

I think it means they have the measure of Germans! Am I right? I agree that Honda is much more reliable than SKODA (maybe VW as well) but what defines quality is a discussion we all have already had.

Some of the parts that (read plastics;body panels etc) that the Jap use are still cheapo compared to Euros. Koreans seem to be improving but are still Koreans! However, chances of anything going wrong are minimal with the Jap.

PS: BTW, I love CIVIC and I think that is the best car HONDA makes even today.

Congratulations! I was wondering why the dashboard is looking grayish. Isn't it black?

Yes, an soooooooo much better in quality. Its difficult to imagine how cars separated by 1.5 lakhs (City top and Civic bottom) can have such difference in quality.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>> I have put a screen in the rear windscreen ( this was before I had the sunfilm) to keep the car cool for the occupants in the rear - there is no change in visibility in my case.

You mean like a pull up sun-shade. Infor please. Would like to put one for our Civic also.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@MPower: mine came with the Michelin tyres.

Remember the tyres must be V rated, since the top speed exceeds 113mph!

Good! They better do that, for the kind of money they charge for their cars. Reg speed rating, if my memory serves me right, V is much higher than that.

Regarding sunfilms, the technology has improved a lot since 118NE days. You need a top quality film + top quality installer. They do help AC efficiency and therefore FE. Rest is personal preference.

[sgiitk]

@Mpower: The standard or S rating in Radials goes to 113mph (it works out to about 180kph). You can then have V and W for higher speeds. Since the Civic is capable of 195kph or so (some people have touched 205) normal SR will not be legal. So you must go higher.

I may add that my Santro has been trouble free for five years. My Accent was with me for almost eight years with only two hiccups - the clutch master cylinder had to be changed, and had problems with failing rear dampers which after complaining was fixed by a total rear end overhaul (foc).

As for your signature - I guess the higher speed is for the boys!!!