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Vasoo, I learnt to use the paddles from your thread and ever since I am driving using the paddle shifters only. Not only one is in control, one can get better milage also. For example, if I need to overtake quickly, I can downshift on my own accord and accelerate without waiting for the tranny to kick down. Then the other use is to upshift at one's will, almost like a manual, again very useful during quick driving sprees. Finally to save fuel, one can quickly shift to M2 and M3 from standstill which I guess in not possible in D mode.

Exactly.

Thats strange. You should get better FE.

True, a manual is a manual. Paddles dont really match up. But they do come very very close!

@dot i swithched to paddles in the city, for the smooth ride and better fuel efficiency. The ride is definately smoother. But had not noticed any increase in fuel efficiency figures. I was surprised too. I think i better do another test and re confirm this. Will post on this soon.

How much are you getting in Pune nowadays? I am getting 10-10.5. This figure comes from purely city driving, mostly office commute (thru Kalyani nagar) and weekend trips to Dhole Patil, MG Road, Deccan, Aundh and Kalyani Nagar (again!). So you know the traffic conditions.

Guys, what is this? You bought an automatic and now want to drive it like a manual? An automatic is at it's best when it is driven in the city. Just press the gas pedal and let the car do the rest. Such a stress free life, why do you want to ruin that by driving with paddles, just for the sake of FE? You all bought a Civic AT for FE? Civic MT was a lakh cheaper. Moreover how much more do you save by squeezing that last drop? Rs 500 per month? I'd rather spend that much for a better life.

I use AT throught except on highways when I use cruise control. CC in AT gives a sudden surge not desirable most of the times on our highways.
I have got better efficiency on highway using AT than MT. In city no noticable difference. My observation for better FE is to keep the RPM low and mode does not matter much.

Loved your point. It is true. I also wrote the same thing somewhere else, that we didnt buy Civic to save fuel. More so for AT. We perfectly knew what we are signing up for.

It is about enjoying the best of both worlds. Even while using paddles you still dont have to use clutch. However, using paddles allows the driver to utilize what the car has to offer. So one aspect of S mode is enjoying the drive in truly sports mode, which is very disturbingly close to a manual. The other aspect is FE. And why not.

I think the discussion is also about what the car can do and cannot do.

@dot was getting around 9 ~ 9.5 in the city. This is with the ac on all the time. Just add wanawadi to your city driving destinations and thats pretty much where we frequent. But not limited to weekends only. We go to these places weekdays too. Actually end up doing a lot of idling. Like say we go to mg rd for some work. I get out of the car, visit city bakery + + +. While my wife and daughter are sitting araam se in the ac car. So i guess quite a lot of precious fuel gets wasted this way. Please dont report me to the greenies promise to break this idling habit soon. Well do a fresh fuel efficiency comparo once back, and post the Results.

@civic-sense buddy ~ was replying but got a call. Will reply in next post. Sorry.

@civic-sense buddy i definately agree with you there. Spent a lakh extra for a stress free drive.

But using the paddles in the city is actually quite a lot of fun, just tugging on a couple of buttons is quite addictive. And am beginning to enjoy driving her this way. Ofcourse there are just days when i put her in d and she does all the work for me.

One reason why i started using the paddles in the city, is because i found it to be a smoother drive when i changed gears manually. And if the fuel economy increases marginally it will be a bonus. So far have not felt that i get better fe by using the paddles but am gonna re check this and let you guys know.

@alto99 you guys are lucky the new civic has cruise control. Wish my 2008 baby had it. I think your observation is right. Keeping the rpms low would result in a better FE.

Does anyone know if you can add features to the pre facelift civic. Such as the fuel economy meter etc, usb connectivity, cruise control etc? Ok maybe cruise control may not be possible, how about the other two?

I didn't really find cruise control useful even on the relatively empty NH7. For one thing, there's the unnerving feeling of not being "in control". This I guess will take time.

But the bigger problem is that almost always there's some vehicle in the way and you have to brake, losing cruise control.

@dot: You get 10-10.5 with an AT? Good on you, dude! I get that with a manual, and 60% of my commute is on a mostly empty 4-lane divided road :). Of course, the AC is always on.

Regards,
spadix

As we were discussing in Shuvc's thread, you can use a gadget like Scangauge2 for measuring FE. No idea on usb, other than changing the HU.

Well thanks. As @civic-sense points out, which I agree totally, lets just enjoy the drive, albeit, in our own little ways.

The best part of using CC is when you set it at about 120 kmph, having to slow down to a crawl behind some slow moving truck and then "resuming" once I pass the truck. The acceleration of the car is exhilarating :). I think this feeling will be more pronounced in an AT since the kickdown happens automatically.

Yes in AT in D (or S in auto mode) the kickdown tries to accelrate the car in no time and is useful on truly open roads.

On NH4 between Pune and Kolhapur which has considerable traffic its next to impossible to use CC. If at all I use it then resume is next to impossible especially in auto mode as by the time it reaches the speed there is another vehicle in front. It is somewhat usable if I put in S and use the paddles to take control of gears.
Not that I am complaining but in manual mode it burns more fuel. To resume to 100 from 60 in 5th gear, RPM is in range of 2500 to 3K until the car reaches the desired speed and drops to 2K when it is >96. Whereas in auto mode it kicks down to 4th (or 3rd) and it is in the higher range for a shorter duration and drops to 2K earlier. Better FE is achieved if I manually accelrate matching the speeds with RPM but that is a very slow process and I have done it very few times.

Considering that you are enjoying the car and keeping your family in full comforts, the FE is great.

Found that ebay sells several aftermarket cruise control devices. Dont know if they are good or not.

@alto99 and spadix, I am of the opinion that our highways are not completely suitable for best use of cruise control. There are way too many obstacles which crop up frequently even on 4 laned highways. Let me narrate my personal story on utilizing cruise control. When we had the Altima, once undertook a drive from Boston to Oklahoma in 3 days, a 1800miles (~3000kms) journey. And back, but in 4 days. Cruise control was one reason that I could drive so much. Used to set the cruise, then lift my legs, cross them and sit comfortably for hours. There was no need to use pedals since highways were totally obstacle free, little increase and decrease of speed during overtaking maneuvers was done by the arrow keys of the cruise system.

Update

Today replaced my Civic's A/T fluid at 41k kms at Linkway Honda,as i had observed little slugishness in shifts hence decided to go for change. Oh boy theres a big difference in shifting and smoothness of shifts and response time for shifts especially in S mode after the change.
Now even expecting my mileage to go up.

Although in manual its recommended to change the A/T oil at 60k kms but its better to be done at 40k as running in traffic considerably reduces the life of the oil.

Also did Suspension Retorquing and now SHE IS TIGHT!! and minor suspension noises have disappeared.

Costing
Oil
400x4ltrs=1600rs

Labour
350
also changed the Air filter
cost 888rs

Total Bill was 2781 with VAT.


Upon the underbody survey it was found that the Power steering oil return line from the oil cooler is cracked and is leaking a bit. Part was not in stock so has been ordered, stone hit cracked the pipe. God knows how the stone went to that area.

will update again once the PS job is done.

To all Civic A/T owners please replace the oil at 40k service itself
The oil used is Honda Genuine Manufactured by Idemitsu.

I had replaced the transmission-fluid at 60K as recommended.
I do mostly highway driving which I guess is easy on the system.

I will be doing my 80K service in a couple of weeks and will post details.