Team-BHP - 4th-gen Honda City : Official Review

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Originally Posted by avdhesh15 (Post 3911592)

Got my 30k km service done yesterday (2014 V-MT petrol). The experience was nothing short of poor.

Made me regret once again the choice of car. Honda just isn't what it was 3-5 years back

Regretting a choice/quality of car because of a crappy service center is just not fair to any brand. In India. As we all know, in India, the dealers are a different entity and though they call themselves, and technically are, "Authorised" by the company, they are not the same people who made the car and are only after their own profits and margins.

Unfortunately there is no law in place here to make sure that there is strict service quality control mechanism in place which should bey the responsibility of the manufacturer and monitored for better experience on the customer end.

The best of cars have really abominable dealers all around for us to see. So basically if you want a better experience, I think people should make sure they have a good and dependable service center nearby as a first priority after choosing a brand and only then go ahead with the purchase for best results. Thats just how it is.

Something like choosing a bank with the nearest branch/atm as the top criteria.

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Originally Posted by sid_deb (Post 3912559)

Dear fellow bhpians,

Would like to check if anyone has tried using Speed 97 on the i-Vtec City? If yes, how was the performance and is it really worth spending the extra bucks?

The engine wouldn't know what to do with it since it is tuned at factory level (like other Indian cars) for around 91 octane. I don't think there would be any benefit and also the additional cost will be huge and better invested elsewhere (or saved).

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Originally Posted by for_cars1 (Post 3914263)

I've been observing a (metal on metal kind of "thak") sharp sound whenever the front wheels go over a pothole or a depression in the road (like the tar dug up across the road).

The sound does not occur if the wheel goes slowly over/into the pothole. The sound is heard when the wheel enters/rather falls into the depression/pothole.

Did some search on the same and its possible that the sound is coming from around the sway-bar bushings.
Have anyone faced the same sound/behaviour?

I also have faced the same issue but Honda SS never recognize it. I'm going to take this up in my next visit. The sound is quite audible during deep gaps between bridge slabs or any other such gaps. When the window glasses are rolled up no noise can be listened. I'll keep you posted once I get it debugged.

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Originally Posted by harpreetsubhi (Post 3916610)

The sound is quite audible during deep gaps between bridge slabs or any other such gaps. When the window glasses are rolled up no noise can be listened.

I can hear the "thak" sound from the front right wheel whenever the wheel goes sharply over gaps on the road. Also when the wheel climbs up a sharp speed-breaker/hump.
The "thak" sound is not heard when I go very slowly over such sharp humps and gaps, but the sharp sound is heard when going over them at a slightly higher speed (like 10kmph)

It has increased a bit of late and I can hear it pretty loud even with the window glasses open. Looks like something is loose at the front right suspension.

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Originally Posted by for_cars1 (Post 3916672)

I can hear the "thak" sound from the front right wheel whenever the wheel goes sharply over gaps on the road.

I got it checked today.

At first they chipped off the lower part of a metal ring just behind the brake discs saying that this causes the sound usually.

The sound still persisted during the test drive.

Turned out to that the bolt connecting the lower suspension arm to the frame was loose causing the sharp sound.

If the Amaze facelift's rumoured interiors are anything to go by, maybe Honda quality is coming back in the Honda City facelift? :D

I am looking to replace my girl Angela, a 2006 Honda City ZX Vtec. It's either the Honda City Facelift or the next Ecosport. Maybe I'll consider the Linea Abarth as well, if the pricing permits!

As a guy in love with the Vtec, I really cannot live with a car with niggles and quality issues. My car has been bullet proof, the only reason I am replacing is to get a safer car, and my car is touching 10 years so need a new ride!

I am just desperately hoping the City facelift will be good! History with the City suggests the facelift will always be better than original model! :D

Guys, it's time for my 3rd servicing in a few days since 6 months are up. Got a call from the service station. Since the car has done less than 3000 km, I asked Solitaire Honda whether the servicing could be postponed and they said yes, since the running is not much (3rd service comes at 10000km) I can easily postpone it a few months and they will call back in 1 month with a reminder. I also checked with them regarding any impact to warranty and they confirmed NO impact on warranty (checked twice regarding this). So should I still go for the servicing or can I wait.
Also, since the oil change is done in 3rd servicing wanted to know from you guys, is anyone using fully synthetic oil in their Honda City? If so, which one did you go for, where did you buy it from, how did you put it in and does the service centre mind if oil is replaced from elsewhere? What about the oil filter which is to be replaced along with oil? How are the results with fully synthetic v/s Honda OEM oil? Is Honda OEM oil good enough for revving to around 5-6k rpm in the first 2 gears? Does Honda also offer fully synthetic oil at their service stations and how much does it cost?

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Originally Posted by mxh (Post 3917626)

I also checked with them regarding any impact to warranty and they confirmed NO impact on warranty (checked twice regarding this). So should I still go for the servicing or can I wait.

I'll say it is dicey as it is a verbal communication that you had so not sure how you'll prove that the service was postponed after talking to the SA?!

Honda officials may not agree if you do raise a claim at a later date. They'll check official records and find the servicing wasn't done as per said requirements.

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Originally Posted by mxh (Post 3917626)

So should I still go for the servicing or can I wait.

Solitaire Andheri is anyway quite lost currently with lot of new folks there. I had a sub-par experience recently. Don't go on verbal communication at all.

Don't push it by more than 2-3 weeks as that would give Honda the excuse in case you need to claim warranty.

I'm in the same boat as you with less running but had to stick to the stupid service interval to ensure warranty (I did my 30k km service at 14k km).

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Originally Posted by avdhesh15 (Post 3911592)

Got my 30k km service done yesterday (2014 V-MT petrol). The experience was nothing short of poor. The SA had no knowledge of service intervals and tried to scam some extra money (Honda diagnostics, etc). Best is he showed attitude when I refused to get scammed!

Made me regret once again the choice of car. Honda just isn't what it was 3-5 years back -
--> Bad quality: What can I say... this has got it's own thread!
--> Pathetic service: Waiting, incompetent, inefficient
--> Expensive spares: e.g. for attaching my underbody engine cover, they asked for Rs 1500 (obv I said no)!
--> Sad service intervals: 10k km / 6 months - my car has run only 15k km till date. That's why I like my Dzire service interval of 10k km / 12 months much better. With my office being 6km from home and wife not working currently, there's hardly any running for both my cars

Much happier with my Dzire in all respects apart from the lovely iVtec engine. The engine is just awesome. In fact I see the car as engine as a pro and everything else as cons. My friend who bought the diesel along with me has already sold it off because he didn't even have the engine!

I agree to what you say. I'm also not much impressed with my first Honda : City. Just after 29K done on the odo, I can hear cranks and clicks from the dashboard and the doors : even though I'm so gentle on my City. I never expected this from Honda. Even I agree on the Diesel engine. Its just a mileage mill. No thrill of driving and the cabin noise is pretty high in comparison to most of the diesel cars I have driven. The engine is sluggish and because of huge cabin noise, seems to be in huge stress when you throttle it in lower gears.

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Originally Posted by for_cars1 (Post 3917051)

Thanks for sharing this. I also plan to visit the ASC as I have also have got a call related to fuel return pipe change which has been announced few weeks back.

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Originally Posted by harpreetsubhi (Post 3918558)

...I also plan to visit the ASC as I have also have got a call related to fuel return pipe change which has been announced few weeks back.

The fuel return pipe replacment involves changing the Engine Oil which is free as part of the recall. (You may have to pay for a small portion of the oil changed).

I suggest that you club the fuel return pipe change with your normal servicing, you stand to save about Rs 2 to 3K on Engine oil from your service bill.
I've got this confirmed with the service center during my last visit.