Team-BHP - Honda Civic : Maintenance, Service Costs and Must dos

I have been living through a 'trial by bushings' for my Civic AT which has done ~ 30,000 kms till date.

It started with my trusted garage guy telling me around 8-10 months that the Front Lower Arm bushings were gone and needed to be replaced. After the replacement, it was all fine for around 2 months back when I started hearing a 'clunking' sound from the front right suspension area. When I showed the car again to my trusted garage guy, he confirmed that the lower arm bushings had again gone 'kaput':Frustrati.

When I asked him on how the lower arm bushings can go bad in 6-8 months period, I was told that there was no guarantee on the rubber parts and he also suggested that I could source the bushings from US (I had earlier got Armrest Lock from US). Accordingly, I managed to source Prothane bushings from EnergySuspsension.

The installation of these bushings was quite a complex exercise in itself. However, it is the post-installation blues which are bothering me. What I found after the installation is that these Prothane bushings are harder as compared to the normal bushings (Prothane is chemical while the normal bushings are made of natural rubber) and my ride has become more harsh due to which I need to go slow over road imperfections:Frustrati.

After getting the bushings installed, I checked online again and found that some of the feedback confirms slightly harsher ride, but at the same time the suspension is more firm and car feels more chuckable at corners (not that I need it - makes sense for the roads in big apple but not in India).

Now the options in front of me are:
1. Learn to live with the harsher ride or maybe reduce the air pressure in the front tyres to 28 to compensate for the harder bushings.
2. Get the bushings replaced by the trusted garage (again, no idea on how long it will last this time).
3. Get it replaced by Honda A**. The challenge here is Honda's tendency to replace the complete part which means I will be asked to replace the complete Lower Control Arms - which i am sure will be quite expensive.

I am in a confused state of mind and am not sure what to do. Look forward to inputs / guidance from the expertsplease:.

I've installed autorunner only on the rear for my Civic and my car has never bottomed out after this. Please note my car has CNG kit installed so there is anyways extra load on the back but still this has worked out well.
One issue which I still face is that suspension is still too soft. My wife sitting on the back seat always complaints that get the suspension job done as she feels that most of the bumps of uneven roads gets transferred on the rear seat. What are the solutions to it? My car has done approx 56k and is running on stock suspension.Are there any after market shocks available to stiffen the suspension? If so then what's the cost involved? Also is it time to get the rear shocks changed? If so then what are the cost associated with it? Or should I just get the rear shocks and spring changed at Honda itself? What should be the right approach towards this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by saurabhkum (Post 3450072)

Koni's after market might get the job done.Honda will give you the same stock set up and will not put in non-OE stuff.Probably will cost you a bomb of 50K for the suspension.What set of tyres do you run ie size stock size 196 65 or soemthing else. I am running 205 65 R 15.Maybe a upsized trye could be more comfortable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARCUS_520i (Post 3448586)

Day #4, since car went to Arya Honda(Kurla West) for the work listed in a few posts above.

Went to the workshop today morning to check on things, waited in the customer lounge for close to an hour, post which the SA told me that parts have only been ordered yesterday.

The dent work + paint job still remains untouched.

The way the SA's deal with the clients is also very very lazy and slow. Everything at this place feels really reluctant.

Now I wish I'd given it to Apex Honda(Chunabhatti). The staff there seemed very competent and quick at the job.

A company workshop not stocking a set of brake pads is just not done!

My vote : 2 stars out of 5 (1 star for the TV that I get to watch in the customer lounge and the other star for their coffee machine).

Can I suggest to take back car from them and give it to 3M paint shop in Kandivali. They finish paint + dent work within a day (depending on your dents). Pricing is almost same as Honda workshops, but quality of paint matching and the fact that you get it back within a day is why I am a repeat customer of their paint jobs !

My 'garage Tryst' with my new (used 2006 S AT) continues. I bought a 48.8k ran civic 3 weeks back, and was extremely happy with the price I got (Review & pics are here)

I took it to Solitaire Honda Borivali in my first week (reviewed here), but to my dismay - even most of the basic parts I wanted were out of stock. Though I did complete a major 60k service, I still had to visit Linkway Honda in Chandivli to find atleast one important part (silencer mount) that needed replacement. It came to me as no surprise that even they did not have it in stock !

It was a pain to drag the car to & fro to work daily for 50kms daily with the silencer hanging and swaying around, however had no choice. In parallel, basis GTO's post on 'coil spring adjusters', spoke to Darryl and fixed an appointment for Saturday to insert the plastic adjusters atleast on the rear side.

Met Raj (Bhojraj) at his petrol pump + workshop in Dadar, near Hinduja. He quickly put the car on ramp and elevated it to fix the adjusters. Thats when the reckoning came in, he started observing radiator / battery fluid leakage, coolant leakage, silencer pipe bend (probably on a speed breaker), etc. Though the adjuster work was done in a jiffy, we took the car out and he did a quick check. He said the silencer mount, even if refixed, wont hold for long and would break soon. He mentioned pipe replacement will take atleast full day. I also checked alloy painting prices, he gave me both options - powder coating or spray painting to matt black, both of which were much lower than Honda or 3M quotes.

Surprising part was most of the fluids were only topped up and nothing was properly checked by Solitaire Honda in their so called "major service". No wonder Honda service intervals are within every 5k kms, because they cannot do a good job in the first place and need to keep refixing again and again :Frustrati

I agreed with Raj that I would go back for a complete diagnostic check up, radiator cleaning, wheel well cladding, silencer pipe and mount replacement, alloy painting etc. Let see when I get time.

On the damages for today (coil spring adjusters - rear - B2 + new bolts on all tyres (old were rusted) + silencer rubber mount) was Rs3850.

p.s: Raj was right that this temp mount will not hold, within 30-40 kms it broke again and I had to spend another 250 at a local mechanic to fix a new mount. Guess need to keep doing that till I can get it completely fixed !

Quote:

Originally Posted by salunkhe.vizz (Post 3450285)

My 'garage Tryst' with my new (used 2006 S AT) continues. I bought a 48.8k ran civic 3 weeks back, and was extremely happy with the price I got

I took it to Solitaire Honda Borivali in my first week but to my dismay - even most of the basic parts I wanted were out of stock. Though I did complete a major 60k service, I still had to visit Linkway Honda in Chandivli to find atleast one important part (silencer mount) that needed replacement. It came to me as no surprise that even they did not have it in stock !

I've also bought a pre-worshipped Civic, and I've had a very positive experience with Arya Honda's new workshop in Kalina. Thoroughly professional, had the parts needed, and didn't try to sell me unnecessary stuff.

I would suggest you try them out. I understand it may be quite a journey for you to get there from where you're at, but it might be worth your time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by salunkhe.vizz (Post 3450260)

Oh boy! Too late now. Getting the car back tomorrow afternoon. Will share pictures of how the job has come out to be. *Fingers crossed*
But I definitely will keep 3M in mind for my Suzuki which needs to go in for a full paintjob; not so keen on damaging the Honda stupid:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ponkermania (Post 3450303)

I found their service to be rather slow. I think it depends on the kind of work one's car goes in for. Mine went in last Monday i.e. June 2nd. Taking delivery tomorrow, i.e. a week later. Apex Honda @ Chunabhatti, I found faster and efficient.

However, if the Lalbaug Arya Honda still existed, I'd totally have sent the Civic there, like all it's previous services :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by binand (Post 3451149)

My car's A/c has stopped cooling. Should I get it fixed at HASS or is there a reputable Correa-like agency in Marathahalli-Indiranagar side? Also my left rear shock absorber produces a noise like what you hear in SRTC buses. Overall looks like I'm going to be down by quite some rupees. :-(

To find out what is wrong you can visit any AC repair guys. On the ORR Carz do it, also there are some local AC repair guys there. It would cost some 1500 to 1800 Rs. They fill the ac gas and check piping, condensor, etc for leaks. Once identified with the issue, you can chose were to do the repair. Normally outside will be cheaper for sure.

I had a small query on the major parts of civics ac to compare. Compressor was quoted nearly 50K from HASS, while the local guy quoted 26K, plus labour. Evaporator/cooling coil the local guy said some 12K+, while HASS quoted 20K. Now you get the drift.

For evaporator change the dash has to be removed. Here the question is will the local guy be able to do a perfect job? I have seen the replacement of compressor, that can be handled by local guys too.