Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Test-Drives & Initial Ownership Reports (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/)

-   -   Picked up my New Honda City! Update: Low GC & Headlight woes addressed (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/110289-picked-up-my-new-honda-city-update-low-gc-headlight-woes-addressed-5.html)

Hi Vikash49,

Hope you have one seat left for this late comer. Great review mate. Nice car ovbiously and looks very good in Silver.

Your thread is an encyclopaedia of tyre upgrade. Thank you so much-I was considering an upgrade in April. I found your postrs very helpful.

Wish you a great ownership experience.

Regards,

charthom.

Thanks Razor... once i've got the alloys fitted, will definitely compile a list of all the upgrades implemented and the total expenses involved.

As for the centre armrest console.. its definitely doable.. but thats something I'll be giving a miss..

Sorry dont remember the exact breakup of the amount the SVC charged me for the job..

The LED Parking lights are a straight fit.. I swapped them myself.. easy 2min job..

Thanks Anshuman,

As I mentioned, I bought them off ebay... and you have the option of paying via CC/ paypal, etc.. I paid via Paypal.

Thanks Mate..

I'd be glad if my ownership thread can be of help to future City owners. The whole idea behind sharing the extensive details and photos of these upgrades is to help others.

I'm here to share what I know and learn from fellow bhpians what I don't know:)


Last week I undertook a 680km outstation trip in my City which involved about 70% undivided state highways in average condition, about 20% heavy small town traffic and 10% of really broken unpaved roads.

The car was being driven by our driver and the trip passed of pretty uneventfully. The car performed flawlessly though. On the highways we were maintaining about 90-100kmph and had AC on for most of the time. At one point, on the better stretches, I took over the wheel, and to the disgust of our driver, I took her to 166.2kmph true speed as indicated by my GPS enabled Samsung Galaxy. This was the fastest he has ever traveled in his entire life! The car felt perfectly stable and had a lot more in reserve...

In spite of all this, she returned a healthy average of 15.6km/l for the entire trip as indicated by the MID:Shockked:


Once we got back, I thought it was time for TLC.. and she got her first ever polish..


And after two hours, this is how she looks..



Thats a reflection of the scenery on her boot lid!

Hi Vikash,

Your thread was a super read for me since I am getting delivery of my 2012 City E-MT tomorrow morning most probably. The headlight upgrade pics were so good and really makes decisions easier. Thanks for the pains taken and for the superb pictures illustrating everything so nicely.
I do not know if the new city have better headlights but I guess I shall eventually look to change it. Also I am planning to go in for ally wheels in due time so the tyre upgrade tips are a Godsend.
Just need to know your feedback on the No-Rinse product and how good it is. How frequently do you use it?
Will keep checking and posting on your thread as my car arrives.

Thanks again,

Sunny :)

On 17th March, got a call from Sai Mag Wheels, New Delhi, that the alloys of my choice have arrived at their warehouse :)

I had selected the Model H339 made by HRS, Taiwan



Made the payment online and got them shipped to Guwahati via road transport.

The service was quick and very efficient by the SIA guys and it was a pleasant experience dealing with them.

It took about a week for the wheels to arrive at Guwahati. I collected the same and headed to the tyre shop.

At the time of buying, I was a little anxious about how the quality of the wheels would be once I got them... but hen I opened the boxes, I was pleasantly surprised! The overall build quality of the alloys was top notch!













Both tyres are the same spec @ 195/65 R15, but the one on the left is mounted on the HRS alloy while the one on the right is mounted on the OEM steel wheel

Was planning to take the car for a photo shoot today, but the midday heat got to me.. and all I could muster was a couple of quick shots in the basement parking :(












This photo will give you an idea of the side profile.. the front wheel does extend a little bit outside the wheel arch... but within aesthetically acceptable limits:)


I simply love these new set of wheels!! How about you??

I just love your shiny new polished car and its super hawt set of shoes :) It suits the City perfectly. But have you ensured if the tyre rubs with the inner wheel arches under any circumstance? It looks a bit too close for comfort. Might create an issue while doing hard cornering, from the looks of it. But I hope you would have considered this before choosing your ride's cool new shoes.

Good thread Vikash. Nice reading it. I too own a Silver Aug 2011 City VAT. Your tyre and light mods seem interesting. Will think about it some day (have always been concerned about warranty issues).
It is evident you spend a good amount of time on your car. Hope your wife is not getting jealous now.

vikash, the new alloys looks stunning. Great choice must say. It suits the Silver City perfectly. Awaiting a nice photoshoot.

Hi guys.. its been more than six months since I last updated this ownership thread.

Actually, there wasn't really anything to update as the car is performing flawlessly without any hiccups.

She's been slowly inching closer to her first birthday and then, barely three days before she turns one, disaster struck!

Last week we got stuck in one of those massive 'pre-puja-frenzy' traffic jams. It was barely crawling. Cars, autos, motorcycles on all sides.. trying to cram into impossible gaps. I was following one of those old HM Trekkers converted for rural public transport that was seriously overloaded with people. In situations like these, I try to keep my cool, crank up the air con, play some of my favorite music and never 'fight' for space with the more 'desperate' types. And this is exactly what I was doing that day.

Then suddenly, a guy on a bullet tries to squeeze ahead of me... If I don't let him get ahead, he would block the Scorpio that was coming from the opposite side and halt the traffic... I keep my cool and let him pass. Now this guy doesn't learn from his mistake but tries to repeat the same move with the trekker ahead of me. Bad idea. They wrestle for space and have a verbal confrontation.. again this guy ends up blocking a Tata DI coming from the opposite side.

All this while, I'm watching this closely and am somewhat amused as I know that this fellow is going to learn his lesson today.

Both the trekker driver and the driver of the TATA DI are now abusing him, but none giving him way.. there is another movement in the traffic, in a desperate attempt, the bullet wala tries to cut off the trekker... the trekker also moves to defend his space, and in this commotion, the bullet riders' left foot ends up under the trekkers right wheel!! The bullet rider screams in pain and slams his helmet on to the trekker. In a sense of sudden panic, the trekker engages reverse and BHAM!! :Frustrati


To make matters worse, these vehicles have jeep like extended metal bumpers welded on to their chassis :Frustrati




This is the result..







got to see this damage on the front member when we opened up the bumper!




I took her to the Honda SVC and they quoted me 15~20k for bumper and front grill replacement and painting and labor charges. This was without even opening up the bumper.

I pondered whether to claim it with my insurance company. All of the replacement parts were plastic and would attracting a 50% depreciation. Nowadays, even painting coming under the umbrella of depreciation, this meant that I would have to shell out almost 60% of this from my own pocket. Would also loose out on the 20% NCB on next years premium.

Sunday, took her to our Friendly Neighborhood Garage...











Got the front grill painted matt black to go with the black headlamp surrounds..







In - Sunday 11am
Out - Sunday 4pm
Total Expenses - 2.5k
Attitude - Top class
Bonus - Free touch up of a nasty scratch behind the right rear wheel

Quality of workmanship is 95% of that of Authorized Service Center at 20% cost and in 25% of down time!

Happy Puja everyone!

Am also holding off on getting repairs done from Honda SVC because of long turnaround time and cost. Need to find a good SVC at Nagpur. BHPians from Nagpur please suggest if you know any.

Good job done by the "Friendly Neighborhood Garage". Workmanship is also neat. You are lucky to have such garage nearby.

That's exactly the reason, I am not updating my thread. There is hardly any thing to report apart from normal service costs and mileage.

Wishing you nice festive days ahead.

Very neat job done by the garage. Quite commendable and that too with a quick turn around time. The color match for the front bumper too seems to spot on.

Fabulous work by the garage team, I must admit. All those ugly scars have gone away nicely. What a nasty accident though. I am impressed with the quality of workmanship and their thoroughly professional attitude as well. That would have taken away all the sourness of the accident.

Keep going, vikash49 my friend. Wishing you more happy miles ahead. :)

thats a fab job that the guy has done. You are really lucky to have such nice workmanship in the neighbourhood.

I also faced something similar but ended up with the dent in the car and no repairing. Trying to live the dent as currently don't have any other mode of transport and repairing means at least 4 days of waiting. Damn traffic jams

Hi Vikash,

Amazing post and love the mods done to your ride. I am a fellow owner of a Honda City but the type 2 (2008 model) and am looking for a headlight upgrade as the OEM's which come stock are quite useless especially on highways.

Would you happen to know if these same Philips X-Treme Vision 60/55w H4 bulbs could be fitted onto my vehicle, Is the light socket for the ANHC and NHC the same?

Thanks for your help