[dot]

Originally Posted by vasoo

My parents used to complain about sliding from left to right and back on the back seat when taking sharp turns at relatively high speeds.

Originally Posted by spadix

Just like vasoo said passengers on the rear seat actually exclaim when that happens, although they haven't complained (in fact, some of them like sliding around on the low grip leather.

Guys, I could not help but smile at this one. Why would you want to take sharp and speedy corners with elderly onboard. I doubt they will like it in any car.

Having driven Ikon (known to be one of the best handlers in India) and Civic, I will say that handling of Civic is probably not at par with the Ikon, specially during sharp turns but not very different by any means.

Originally Posted by spadix

Tram-lining isn't severe and if I was writing this post yesterday I wouldn't even have brought this up but yesterday I experienced marked tram-lining at a very slow speed (around 20-30 kmph) for a few feet on a ridge in the road.

Can this be a tyre issue?

Again I will bring the experience of Ikon here. But the cars, Ikon and Civic, feel very planted on road and behave as if they are on rails. Thats a good thing!

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by vasoo

My parents used to complain about sliding from left to right and back on the back seat when taking sharp turns at relatively high speeds. The leather seats are only making it worse due to lack of grip.

sliding sideways is a function of lateral accleration not body roll. With stiffer springs, you will carry more speed and will slide faster and harder. PS: you can also pull the armrest down to stop sliding

[vasoo]

@dot. It will not feel so in all cars. Cars which have stiff suspension will not swerve and wallow like that making the passengers uncomfortable. There is terrible understeer also which makes the car go straight in to a turning in spite of a turned steering. The problem is that Civic is very planted on straights and we generally tend to take the curves also in relatively high speeds. That is when the trouble starts. In twisties and ghat roads, this behavior of the car will force us to drive it very slow and even a Swift will get ahead.

Mpower, I understand that passengers sliding is a function of lateral acceleration and it increases with speed. But in this case there is one more factor, which the the swerving/wallowing of the car which makes the passengers slide, even at relatively low speeds. This I believe is because of soft suspensions.

[spadix]

Originally Posted by vasoo

@dot. It will not feel so in all cars. Cars which have stiff suspension will not swerve and wallow like that making the passengers uncomfortable. There is terrible understeer also which makes the car go straight in to a turning in spite of a turned steering. The problem is that Civic is very planted on straights and we generally tend to take the curves also in relatively high speeds. That is when the trouble starts. In twisties and ghat roads, this behavior of the car will force us to drive it very slow and even a Swift will get ahead.

I unfortunately don't have many good points of comparison. The only other cars I've driven extensively are the 800 and Indigo and of course the Civic handles better than either (actually the 800 wasn't bad) .

@dot: The car does feel planted - as long as the surface is smooth. On the Tirumala ghats for instance, the roads are super smooth. I was able to carry good speed into and around the corners - even the hairpins - with 5 people and a trunk full of luggage. The roll on this particular stretch was negated because of road camber in the bend. Since there were no surprises in terms of road surface mid-corner, behaviour was as expected.

If there are roads without camber, though, or surfaces that are broken mid-corner, then the car doesn't feel as planted.

Also yes, tram-lining depends a lot on the tyres too.

Regards,
spadix

[dot]

Originally Posted by vasoo

There is terrible understeer also which makes the car go straight in to a turning in spite of a turned steering.

Originally Posted by spadix

If there are roads without camber, though, or surfaces that are broken mid-corner, then the car doesn't feel as planted.

@vasoo and Spadix. I have not experienced such effects yet. Maybe I have not taken too high speed turns.
Everyday commute to office brings me to a bend where the road takes a full 90 degree turn. I actually wait for this turn because of the fun it offers. Usually I hit the 90 degree at 40-50-60 kmph, depending on traffic conditions. No issues faced yet on understeer and roll. Maybe I will experiment at higher speed and see if there is a significant understeer or roll.

About other cars: Uncle in the family drives a 5 series Beemer (09 model). Once sat on the backseat with my son during a drive from Cochin to Coimbatore. Car kept on pitching as roads was not too good and the drive was like 0 to 160 to 0 all the time. Very soon my son threw up due to the constant swaying motion. I also had to use the seatbelts to keep me glued to the seat otherwise I too would have moved around.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by dot

No issues faced yet on understeer and roll. Maybe I will experiment at higher speed and see if there is a significant understeer or roll.

I had been on varyiing speeds, never felt so.
I guess I have not driven enough cars.

[vasoo]

^^
I think my problem is that I get to drive many cars, especially while traveling abroad and when I come back and drive my car here, it feels really bad, at times. Of course it is not just the car, it is also about the roads. Cambering of roads is not practiced here especially if you are entering/exiting an elevated section on the freeway where the road will be absolutely flat.

[spadix]

Originally Posted by dot

Everyday commute to office brings me to a bend where the road takes a full 90 degree turn. I actually wait for this turn because of the fun it offers. Usually I hit the 90 degree at 40-50-60 kmph, depending on traffic conditions. No issues faced yet on understeer and roll. Maybe I will experiment at higher speed and see if there is a significant understeer or roll.

More than higher speed I'd say try tighter turns.

For instance, this is a 180 degree turn which I usually take between 19 and 22 kmph. It can be done faster but it's not safe (there could be an oncoming car). Above 27 and the tyres can squeal depending on the radius.

On 90 degree turns (like this, this, this and this) I haven't been too discomfited but the road has significant camber on at least a couple of those examples. The same was my experience on the Tirumala ghat hairpin bends (near 180-degree turns with good road cant/camber).

Regards,
spadix

[manim]

80K service over.
Odo is now at 80,861 kms.
Done at Sundaram-Honda, Madurai.

Notes:
Overall feedback during 3 years and 10 months of ownership: awesome!
Thanks to Honda for giving a great engineered product.

Only problem I faced was vibration during braking which started at around 25K.
It was solved when I changed the front brake-pads along with the brake-discs at 40K.

I was expecting a change of front brake-pads again at 80K, but seems it will last for another 20K! (This proves AT does not necessarily wear out pads faster).
(My rear pads lasted till 65K).

FE continues to be excellent:
The last 18K kms gave 13.6 kmpl.
Overall FE over 80K is 12.12 kmpl.
The max I have achieved is 17.7 kmpl over 660 kms, once.


Parts-cost:
oil-filter - 185.96
fuel-filter - 3,355.76
air-filter - 870.08
synthetic-oil - 3,040.54
washer - 18.56

Labour-cost:
80K service - 1,654.50
consumables - 110.30

done-outside:
Tyre balancing (4no.s) - 400
wheel-alignment - 250

TOTAL is Rs.9,886.

Extra interior-enrichment - 1,434.

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by manim

Only problem I faced was vibration during braking which started at around 25K.
It was solved when I changed the front brake-pads along with the brake-discs at 40K.

Originally Posted by manim

Here is the bill break-up (inclusive of 12.5% VAT) for 40K service of Civic-AT:
Parts:
drain washer = 18
Air filter = 820
Brake pad = 4329
oil filter = 309
Synthetic oil = 2410
fuel filter = 3166
brake disc = 4477

From your 40K service report I deduce that you had changed the brake pads and discs. Did you change all four or only the front set? My steering is experiencing heavy vibrations when I brake. Not sure whether I should go for replacement of the discs or facing.

[laluks]

From the costs part, skimming might cost around around 1/6th the cost of a new disc.

Front discs are priced at 2300 a piece.

I had changed the pads and discs during my drive to Goa, since I did not want to do the skimming away from home turf for lack of info on who will do a good job. So changed the discs too from the H.S.S at Goa.

The older disc is lying at home and from it I could make out that on resurfacing it could go another similar distance. I have changed my front pads and discs at 57K, which makes me infer that the disc can last atleast 1lakh Km in my case with a resurfacing/skimming. This is an inference, can somebody confirm.

The rear pads are changed at 65K. Rear discs are doing fine.

[manim]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

From your 40K service report I deduce that you had changed the brake pads and discs. Did you change all four or only the front set? My steering is experiencing heavy vibrations when I brake. Not sure whether I should go for replacement of the discs or facing.

Only the front set.
The rear pads were replaced at 65K (rear-discs are still the original ones).

IMHO replacement of the disc though costly will give peace of mind rather than repairing.
Anyway Honda dealer may only replace and you need some outside workshop to repair.

[dot]

So if we were to summarize what all parts needs to replaced, lets say from zero till 80k kilometers, the following list can be created.

1. Brake pads
2. Disks
3. Engine mounts
4. Wipers

Not taking into account oil and filter changes and bulbs.

What about shock absorbers, springs and spark plugs?

[jatinpatel]

@dot
Shocks and spring depend on type of roads encountered and style of driving.

Sparks don't need changing till 1lak kms as they irridium ones only cleaning and adjustment of gap is required every 40k kms
I think cost of new set of spark plugs is somewer around 3-3.5k

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by laluks

From the costs part, skimming might cost around around 1/6th the cost of a new disc.

Front discs are priced at 2300 a piece.

I had changed the pads and discs during my drive to Goa, since I did not want to do the skimming away from home turf for lack of info on who will do a good job. So changed the discs too from the H.S.S at Goa.

The older disc is lying at home and from it I could make out that on resurfacing it could go another similar distance. I have changed my front pads and discs at 57K, which makes me infer that the disc can last atleast 1lakh Km in my case with a resurfacing/skimming. This is an inference, can somebody confirm.

The rear pads are changed at 65K. Rear discs are doing fine.

Originally Posted by manim

Only the front set.
The rear pads were replaced at 65K (rear-discs are still the original ones).

IMHO replacement of the disc though costly will give peace of mind rather than repairing.

I first read manim's post and almost made up my mind to replace when I saw laluk's post, am now am confused again. BTW, if it is only the front discs that needs to be replacement, then I'd rather do that. I guess the rear discs are fine, but the pads may have to go.

Anyway Honda dealer may only replace and you need some outside workshop to repair.

Last time I checked with the SC, they said they send the discs to outside workshop for facing, and and the car would need to spend an additional day at the SC. Let me check with them again.