[sarathlal]

Hi,
Any recommendations for a good cabin filter?

I used to use FRAM and loved it, but off late sourcing has become difficult and the Amazon one is insanely priced.

[eccentric]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

Hi,
Any recommendations for a good cabin filter?

Hello there!

Recently instated a ZIP cabin filter amounting to Rs.399/-. Since 1000 kilometers of drive post the installation, I didn't find any perceivable difference in the scent of air inside the cabin. However, during cleaning, I observed that it has filtered a lot of fine dust and debris. Also, note that I don't have any prior experience with FRAM or other high-end filters.

If you're at crossroads yet, the only solution would be, is to procure the OEM cabin filters for Accord which is a direct fit for the Civic.

Regards,
Larsen.

[nik0502]

Hi Aniketi,

Though Sarath and Sumeet have answered all your questions still I would give you my perspective. I have 2010 VAT done 97K kms bought in 2015 with ~ 40K on the odo.

Originally Posted by aniketi

Hello T-BHP'ians. Need your valuable advice for purchasing used Honda Civic.


Background - I am always fan of Honda Civic and always dreamt about this particular car. New design doesn't suit my taste and budget both, period. I am planning to buy used Civic which I am planning to keep for 5 years.

I am getting some really good deals for Civic. Please help me on below points before buying one -

1 Manual or AT? Which is better? I personally like MT but don't mind AT if its good. Any maintenance or reliability issues for AT?

I would suggest to get and AT since traffic is mad in our day to day life and it will be even worse in next five years. Since you plan to keep the car for five years AT makes more sense. Also the AT + cruise control gives a lot of comfort on highways.

2 I can see few with CNG fitment, should I go for it? I personally don't like it. Don't want to wait for 30 mins for refilling just to save few bucks.

My running has gone down drastically in last few years but I used to drive 2000+ kms a month when I had bought the car. I got the CNG fitted right after I got the car and I have never made a better decision in life. I had a fiesta petrol earlier which I had for five years. And the fuel cost really used to pinch me. But Civic has been really economical. Filling takes five minutes where I stay. A 400 kms journey with AC on to my hometown costs me ~900 rupees.
3 What is FE in city and highways?
I am surprised by the figures Sumeet and Sarath has mentioned. I get ~7 in city with dense traffic and on highway I have got as high as 16.
4 Wat are general maintenance costs? Is it too costly too maintain?
The maintenance is quite cheap if you know how to maintain. For comparison my 11 old Civic’s service cost is always lesser than the service cost of a 4 years old wagon R AMT. Parts are expensive but they last long. The first engine mount which was changed on my car was at 90K kms when the car was 9 years old.
5 I am looking for 2010-2011 models. What max running I should go for?
I wouldn’t buy one with anything greater than 50K kms on odo. When I got my car I had rejected 10+ Civics since all of them had their odo tempered so you have to be very cautious about it. Do not buy the 84K kms run car. The engine stays healthy but there are a lot of things which start showing their age. My Civic was absolutely blast till 90K Kms but after that it has started showing age. Issues I have faced in last 10K kms AC started giving trouble and it took 1.5 years and 10+ trips to the AC guy and Honda to fix it. I was on the verge of selling the car. Suspension needs complete overhaul which is 70K plus rupees from Honda & I wouldn’t want it to be done at FNG. I am happy with all these things since all these have cropped up after I have enjoyed the car for about 5 years. But if you get a 84K kms driven car you might have to take care of these in the beginning itself. Also a 2010-11 vintage Civic with 80+ K kms on odo would be under 2 lacs here in north. I am not very sure about the prices in your region.

6 What other things I should look for before finalizing?
7 My running would be around 8-10K per year.

Thanks in advance.

[sarathlal]

Off topic, but the video did put a smile.
That's a very beautiful gesture for the love of Civic 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJThpEfYJuQ

[swami69]

Just an update on my 2007 Civic AT.

When I bought the car used 4 years back, I got only one key and that started to deteriorate recently as I was unable to remove it easily. Now, it completely got jammed and could not turn on the ignition. HASS came home, removed the key barrel, took the car by starting it. New set of keys with new cylinder replaced.

I also got the 90K kms service done. Total 21K and the car is as smooth as it was

Somehow driving a CIVIC always makes me feel good

Swami

[nik0502]

Hi Folks

I am looking for urgent advice. I took a 450 kms trip today (to and fro). While I was going Civic was absolutely flawless as always, however while I was coming back the car started overheating. I stopped immediately and gave it half an hour to cool down. The coolant reservoir was completely empty. Poured a litter water in the tank and also in radiator. To my surprise the radiator took almost 3 litres of water. The car was serviced 200 kms back from Honda. I thought Honda goofed up but looks like that was not the case. The car kept overheating and gulped a litter of water from the reservoir within a minute. The temperature reached 3/4th mark couple of times before I could park it on a side. But I didn’t let it stay at that 3/4th mark. It was either for few seconds so that I could park it on the side or it was for few seconds before car got open road and cooled itself down. My mechanic says if the temperature touched 3/4th mark than the gasket is gone for sure. I am taking the car to him tomorrow morning. But is it really so? Does touching 3/4th mark really blow the gasket ?

[eccentric]

Originally Posted by nik0502

My mechanic says if the temperature touched 3/4th mark than the gasket is gone for sure. I am taking the car to him tomorrow morning. But is it really so? Does touching 3/4th mark really blow the gasket ?

Hi Nik!
My Dad faced a similar situation like this in his Swift VDi. The needle reached 3/4 mark as soon as he begun to accelerate upwards of 60 KPH.

Cause
Loose drive belt. During acceleration, the loose belt damaged the tensioner pulley bearings which led to the loss of functioning of the alternator and the water pump.

Since the cooling circuit now doesn't function as it is intended to, the first to take hit will be the thermostat valve followed by the head gasket and then the stalling of the engine.

In our case, IIRC, the coolant reservoir still had the coolant in the MAX level and there were no visible signs of contamination with the engine oil or a leak. The underbody was as dry as a bone. So, with the sparse knowledge I had and have, I insisted our FNG to replace the thermostat body which fixed the overheating.

In your case, since the coolant level frequently vanishes, am afraid that there may be a probability of head gasket failure. Please start your troubleshooting by assessing whether engine oil is contaminated by the coolant. If this proves true, then your mechanic is right!

[nik0502]

Got the car checked today and looks like Honda did mess up. The radiator filler cap was broken. The car was driven 450 kms a day prior to service and had no issues and this was the first time car was being driven more than 2-3 kms after the service. The head gasket is blown and OEM isn’t available anywhere. Boodmo has one in stock but the delivery time is 12 days. I am awaiting parts from boodmo which were ordered on 18th, were supposed to be delivered on 29 but will be delivered on 5th now so can’t rely on it. I have to take a very important 1000 kms trip on 13th. My mechanic suggested a cherry make head gasket and says the quality is very good. Does anyone else has any information about this ?

[Masterprocrasti]

Hello Civic Fans,

I bought a 2010 MT which had clocked just 32k kms, and thankfully was in mint condition when I found her.

I have had hassle free ownership experience for the past 1.5 years. She runs, rides and revs like a dream.

However, I have noticed a few niggles that I'd like to iron out before they develop into bigger issues. If anyone can help me in this regard, it would be most appreciated, as I'm trying to keep her the same way I found her - in immaculate condition.

1. I've noticed that the auto climate control / ac compressor starts acting out immediately after a car wash, or when it rains heavily. My usual set temp is 22-24 but once the sensor goes haywire, it stops cooling altogether, unless the temp reading is set to the lowest setting "LOW". Then it starts freezing. But any setting other than this just cuts off the compressor. Since this usually happened only for the short drive from the car wash back home, I didn't pay much attention to it. But recently, on a drive from Chennai to Kochi, we encountered heavy rains for almost 2 hours. Needless to say, the issue cropped up and the only way the compressor would work was if it was set to "LOW". Help ! The only thing stopping me from leaping at the Civic keys for the next inter-state drive is the fear of rains + subsequent AC drama, and maybe the current price of Petrol.

Also, even on days with clear sunny skies, I've noticed that the air direction changes automatically from the front facing AC vents on the dashboard to the vents aimed at the feet !! My default AC setting is always on "AUTO" mode at 22-24 as mentioned above. Once this bizarre glitch comes into play, I have to switch off the auto setting and manually change the blower direction. Very mysterious. What could be the reason ?

2. There seems to be a creaking sound emanating from the steering rack, but only when at idle and when turned to either side completely. Its barely audible now, but I'm worried if its a start of something bigger on the way. Any idea what it might be ?

3. For the past few months, I've felt the need to use more effort and arm strength to make U-turns or quick turns of the steering. Initially, I suspected it was a post covid symptom but as the days went on I got more suspicious. I regularly top up my tyre pressure when fueling, so that isn't the culprit. I checked the PS fluid levels. While it isn't at the "full" mark , it isn't at the "low" mark either - just above. Recently, I found a petrol-ish kind of colourless fluid on the garage floor right under where the steering rack should be. Any diagnosis from the experts here ? And any suggestions on what PS fluid I need to get ?

Thank you !

[dsnaveen21]

Hi Guys, Got a 2011 Civic, Water is lodging in right back seat's floor, exactly behind driver's seat,? Please let me know if any mechanic/FNG in Thane. Thanks

[Masterprocrasti]

Originally Posted by dsnaveen21

Hi Guys, Got a 2011 Civic, Water is lodging in right back seat's floor, exactly behind driver's seat,? Please let me know if any mechanic/FNG in Thane. Thanks

Hi,

I had a similar problem on my Lancer. I found out that there was water logging in the back doors probably caused by rain water seeping in through the rear windows. If that is the case, then there's an easily accessible drain hole which might be blocked. Simply open your rear door and scan the bottom for the drain hole, stick a screw driver in there to unclog it and your problem is solved.

Good luck.

[nik0502]

Hi Guys

As mentioned in my previous post the head gasket in my Civic was blown. I ordered the parts from boodmo and it took more than 20 days for parts to arrive. The battery went dead by then and I couldn’t find the jumper cables I had bought couple of years ago. So I tried the good old method of connecting the battery terminals with a spare battery’s terminal by placing the spare battery upside down. I took help from my servant who was holding the battery while I cranked the engine. The car started in the first go. Post which I instructed him to remove the battery. The moment he disconnected the battery the car died. And it never started after that. The moment I try to connect the battery it would create sparks. I finally bought a new pair of jumper cables and tried jump starting but no luck. The moment I connect the jumper cables it would throw spark and if I hold the cables for few seconds it starts throwing smoke and the battery terminals start melting. Any idea what could be the issue here? I looked at the fuse and it seems to be okay.

[ST7677]

Any recommendation on good wipers for Civic?
Preferably with online buying link.

I found below on Bodomo, but it doesn't specify compatibility with Civic.
https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-bosc...6584-55889252/

[eccentric]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Any recommendation on good wipers for Civic?

Hello there!

My experience with Blaupunkt wipers is quite unsatisfactory. They are made in China and the quality of the rubber blade is downgrade ultimately leaving streaks in the windscreen when cleaning something as trivial as a fresh tree sap.

Originally Posted by ST7677

Preferably with online buying link.

Recently did a purchase of OEM wiper blades for the Civic via Boodmo. Please follow the below links,

Wiper Blade Rubber 23" - https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-rubber_wiper_b-6918961/

Wiper Blade Rubber 26" - https://boodmo.com/catalog/part-rubber_wiper_b-6918861/

While it's been listed as both the products are compatible with the Civic, I can't assure the same since I haven't performed the installation yet and the duration taken for delivery is 20 days!

Hope it helps.

[manim]

The time has finally come to bid goodbye to my Civic. It is still in perfect shape and had nearly zero problems so far in 14 years 3 months with odo at 1,75,000+ kms.

Fortunately one of my close family-member is buying it, so I can look it up once in a while if ever I feel Civic-sick!

What next?

I don't predict much of driving in the future, my car will be parked idle for weeks, and two young members in my house have got their driving-license just recently. So I wanted a smaller and cheaper car. Only a Sedan will do, I hate those fake-suv's!

Also only a Honda will do. My earlier car was the first-gen Honda-City-1.5 which I had for 8 years. I wont consider any other brand for one reason: Reliability.

I took a test-drive of the 5th-gen-City a few days back. I also waited for the new-Amaze launched just yesterday.

Booked the City-CVT-V just a few hours back.