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-   -   Honda Civic : Maintenance, Service Costs and Must dos (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/47997-honda-civic-maintenance-service-costs-must-dos-130.html)

You haven't mentioned the car model year. Honda engines are good for atleats 2L KMS, just ensure the car is accident damage free, you may also want to check the engine mounts as that's one part that's causing grief to many Civic owners.

Why would the clutch need a change? Haven't come across any car on this forum that have any clutch related complains.
Tires, yes they might need to be changed. Brake pads if they are not changed yet then that might need some attention.

All the best.

Its a 2007 model and am ready to spent 10-15 k extra to get into shape.

I have come across a car in this forum with clutch issues @ 40,000 km.

Mine! :D

But yes, if I'm the only one with that problem, it might have been an issue with this particular car or the way it was driven by the previous owner.

I would suggest you to check for all the service history + Insurance.
If you find it clean -With no accident or No odo tampering+ regular services at prescribed intervals and no insurance claims(for any major accident).
Then buy the car whole heartedly.
As you are saying the car hasn't been transfered to the second owner, when you register it in your name, you'll still be second owner officially.
Apart from tyres(if they haven't been changed), Brake pads (if they need replacement), remember the 40K major service is round the corner. You may have to shell out around 10K for this service.
Please refer the prev posts in the same thread as what's done in 40K service

For 6.9L I think it is good buy provided the car is accident free and has good service records. As folks here have already mentioned, you need to have another 50k odd aside for repairs and replacements. And then you are good to go for another 2-3 or more years. But hey, you are saving 7-8 Lakhs also. A 3-4 year old Civic does not show its age whether you look from outside or inside. They are as good as new.

IIRC, we discussed a bit on your ownership thread. You spent some 10k odd for repairs, right?
Yes, I also saw several Civics whose clutch had become hard. They had run about 50k+ Kms. Maybe due to clutch-riding by the driver. Driver = C or O.

If you've seen several Civics with hard clutch @ 50,000 km, then it is as I suspected - a common problem with Civics. It cannot be a driver clutch riding problem. If I do a search for "2007 Honda Civic Clutch issues" on Google, I do get lots of threads with the same problem.

Hmm, you have a point here. I have never searched for clutch issues since my car is an AT. I used to think that due to Mumbai and Pune traffic the clutches have gone bad.

What do these threads say about the clutch problems? Any root causes?

My experience has been a bit different. Most MT civics I have seen, the clutch was still as good as new after 40k plus kms. I dont think the clutch is a problem in civic. It will only depend on how/where the car is driven, if the car has spent most time in peak bumper to bumper traffic or the driver rided on clutch, no doubt it will be in bad shape, but if the car has seen normal driving conditions and clutch has not been rided, it should be in good shape.

The clutch in the Civic and all Honda cars is of Daikin make which is extremely good. I tried sourcing the same for my Esteem but in vain and had to settle down for Valeo.

I didn't bother going to deep inside the issue - I was just happy I was not the only one to face this problem. You know, misery always loves company.

You might have hit the nail on the head, Gaurav.

Manual Civics have poor initial acceleration below 1000 RPM. That might have forced many owners/drivers to step on the accelerator while the clutch was still engaged - to prevent stalling in peak bumper to bumper traffic.

Yes, I do find that my starts from standstill are not 100% smooth even after ~16k kms and ~11 months of daily use.

In urban traffic a certain amount of holding the clutch is unavoidable, but riding the clutch can still be kept to a minimum with some planning. You don't need the clutch at 7 kmph and above. At 6 there'll be juddering. This is on level roads. So as long as you plan and maintain some distance from the previous vehicle - and if no bike or auto occupies that gap :Frustrati - you can preserve your clutch.

That said, I have a feeling mine will need replacement at the 40k km mark. I just feel I'm abusing it :(. The area I live in has extremely bad roads and there are spots where I have to nurse the car at 3-4 kmph over boulders and mounds of dry earth. I must maintain slow speeds to prevent bottoming out and I have to gun the throttle in short, sharp bursts while riding the clutch at these speeds to prevent the engine from stalling while climbing those mounds.

Regards,
spadix

Precisely my experience too. That is why I feel the Civic is not a great car to be driven in b2b traffic. I can fully relate to the shudder you mention. It just shakes the entire car and thats quite frustrating.

Coming from a fiesta sxi, I had problems with b2b traffic initially. The car used to stall on me many time. I have changed my driving style now a lot and I am now used to riding the clutch much more than in my earlier cars. Unfortunately, my commute is on roads which have b2b traffic.

Being a civic owner who bought the car with 38K on the ODO, let me tell you what all I have spent during the last 1.5 years:

1) Service at 38K - 8K
2) New tyres at 43K - 20K
3) Service at 48K - 5K (approx)
4) Brake pads at 50K - 5K
5) Engine mount at 50K - 8K
6) Disc skimming at 50K - 1K

Mine is a AT, so nothing on clutch. Please check whether:
1) the tyres are new
2) engine mount has ever been changed
3) brake pads are new

Else bargain harder. You should be able to close the deal at 6.5L.

Did you get it ousiede Honda A$$? I had the impression that Honda insists on changing the discs!