[mikon]

hey zenx..
dunno where is RAC?
Have been to auto fusion sometimes.

I have 13"ers alloys, Will Yokos fit into that?

P.S: I saw your profession.
Me too in the same profession
And i know how it feels.

[zenx]

The windshield seems to have hazaar more scratches (millions of tiny ones, spread radially - i guess by the wiper blades as well as the cleaning guy) - and at night its a bit of a pain. Do the Windshield Experts have any solutions/OEM-grade replacements ? Any ideas about costs ? As usual, want to avoid Honda Service/Spares for fear of being ripped off completely.

[esteem_lover]

The last time i spoke to wndshield experts for the same problem, they had only one solution, replace the glass. There is nothing else that can be done.

[zenx]

Just did a 1000+ km trip over 4 days to Chikmaglur, the Hassan-Madikeri Road and Coorg, and totally loved the car. With kids and tons of trek-sullied footwear, clothes, bags, toys, etc - the car was nice to live in over the trip and no fatigue. For an 8+ year old, it did the variety of terrain really beautifully. The guys at Hunkal Woods had cautioned against the last bit of the road but despite a downpour as we got there, the by-now-must-believe-its-an-SUV did it without skipping a beat. And on the narrow roads around Coorg, its still as point and shoot as ever. There's a couple of loose plastics pieces that need attending to, but am I glad I've kept this one. Oh, I also got a neat 15kmpl+ this time around!

Just thought an update was in order for the old workhorse.

[zenx]

Have one kaput headlamp bulb and the question's come up about replacing it with alternatives vs OE. Have heard that 100/90 Philips ones could "grey out" the headlamp and affect the reflectors? Whats the experience of OHC owners been?

[ankitahuja]

Originally Posted by zenx

Have one kaput headlamp bulb and the question's come up about replacing it with alternatives vs OE. Have heard that 100/90 Philips ones could "grey out" the headlamp and affect the reflectors? Whats the experience of OHC owners been?

A bulb upgrade is a must have for the OHC.

Go for it without a doubt. There will be no damange if you're using the OE Stanley HL Assembly.

Make sure you use the upgraded wiring harness and relay though!

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by zenx

Have one kaput headlamp bulb and the question's come up about replacing it with alternatives vs OE. Have heard that 100/90 Philips ones could "grey out" the headlamp and affect the reflectors? Whats the experience of OHC owners been?

Usually 100/90 shouldn't grey/blacken out the reflectors when compared with 130/100.
100/90 emits less heat than 130/100.

I had extensively used 100/90 Hella bulbs in my OHC, no issues of black/grey reflectors.

Stick to 100/90 bulbs, shouldn't cause much of an issue.
STANLEY Headlamp unit can handle the heat, can't say the same for DEPO headlamp assembly

{ There should be some space left for the heat to escape from the reflectors, a small hole just at the bottom of the reflectors will be good, But when done like this dust starts to settle into the reflectors. So not advisable. }

[zenx]

Thanks! How much is the STANLEY kit? Also read somewhere that this may not be legal - is that true? I'd rather stick within legal limits rather than worry about a fine each time I drive past a bunch of cops

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by zenx

Thanks! How much is the STANLEY kit? Also read somewhere that this may not be legal - is that true? I'd rather stick within legal limits rather than worry about a fine each time I drive past a bunch of cops

STANLEY is the OEM headlamp unit for Honda City.
It's not a kit. If you observe carefully in your car OEM headlamp unit it will be STANLEY make.

I think you are talking about HID's in OEM reflectors.
Yes HID's on OEM reflectors is Illegal, coz they produce lot of glare for the oncoming vehicle. OEM reflectors are designed for HALOGENS not for HID's.
A Proper projector setup with HID's will not produce glare, as projectors do you have cutoff line, anything above the cutoff line will be dark & no light will be emitted.
SOME ALTIS comes with HID's on reflectors, the reflector is designed for HID's, so No glare for oncoming traffic

[zenx]

I meant the 100/90s may be illegal bulbs - is that true? Will check the headlamp assembly. Thanks!

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by zenx

I meant the 100/90s may be illegal bulbs - is that true? Will check the headlamp assembly. Thanks!

Illegal Yes,
any modification from the OEM setup is illegal.
But 100/90's doesn't attract cops as long as one doesn't put some pathetic Bluish /Violet coloured lights & book for DAZZLING lights ;-).

If you really want good output within the original setup (55w) go for PIAA bulbs. They are way too good . Some of their bulbs produce equivalent to 100W from 55W bulbs (pls search online). No need of even changing the wiring etx.
Slightly costlier, but you'll be happy with the output. (around 2500- 3000 Rs +)

[zenx]

Wow! Thanks. That looks like a simple enough replacement - will ask around. Any idea if they might be available someplace around Koramangala or the Sarjapura Road?

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by zenx

Wow! Thanks. That looks like a simple enough replacement - will ask around. Any idea if they might be available someplace around Koramangala or the Sarjapura Road?

I really doubt anybody selling PIAA bulbs in BLR.
We got the bulbs from US (around 45$ + ). Very good ones retails at $70+
Try getting from there itself.
I can vouch for the output produced from these bulbs.

Links
http://www.piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H4.html
http://www.amazon.com/PIAA-10904-H4-...=pd_sim_auto_1
http://www.amazon.com/15211-Style-Xt.../dp/B00067BVKK

[zenx]

Ouch. Back to square one, then The 100/90s seem like the only relatively safe option if one considers an upgrade. Will ask around. Thanks.

[zenx]

Originally Posted by zenx

Ouch. Back to square one, then The 100/90s seem like the only relatively safe option if one considers an upgrade. Will ask around. Thanks.

And finally - after ages of the thought occurring - the lights got upgraded. And brilliant timing it turned out to be - we got heavy showers on the way back from our Chikamagalur trip and the lights made the drive far easier than would've been otherwise!

Thanks to @prabhuav for the push and the directions to the place where I got it done in Jayanagar.

Super kit and Philips bulbs. The accessories guy said there'd be no harm done to the reflectors upto 6-7 hours of continuous running - beyond which, over a few years, they might darken a little.

Also - the car just flew on this trip - fell in love with it all over again. 120kmph easily, and lovely handling on a 11+ year old car. And with all of that, we got 14+ kmpl easily on a rough back of the envelope calculation. Perhaps even more.