[eagles_ts]

Since you have zero depreciation insurance why don't you get the bumper taken care of at the Honda service station ? I am sure the expense to you won't be much.

Awesome ownership thread, btw. I will keep revisiting this thread for updates.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Terrible, terrible indeed that Pegagus has the scar; I can imagine the pain you're going thru'.

If you ask the A.S.S., they will have the whole bumper repainted - should cost ~2k. I'd advise you against it.

You'd rather ask them to touch the scar up - this is done free-of-cost by A.S.S. It will cover the scar, although it won't be perfect.

Indeed. Every day I am reminded of my carelessness every time I step out and see the bumper sticker. A moment of sheer rashness on my part.

Thanks for the tip, my friend. Indeed the scar isn't big enough to warrant an entire bumper repaint job. I ll ask them for a touch-up job and see if they agree to it. Anything to cover the scar, for now.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

There are dozens of them! If you go thru' my ownership thread, there's a whole pictorial list of all the chubby holes that the City has.

Yes indeed! I have been through your thread in detail, my friend. The Honda guys have to be commended for their excellent utilisation of interior space. And I haven't yet set my eyes on the famed rear under-seat space, yet!

--

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Btw, 1st free service is just visual check up and wash. (Unless they've changed things for the 2012 City)

No, it's still the same. General Check-Up & Washing.

My main job will be to get my alloys fixed. Shouldn't take more than 4, maybe 5 hours at most. Should be back in my city before midnight same day.

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Sad to see the scratch on a lovely new car! but anyways these things keeps on happening. I think normal rubbing and touch up will do the job, nothing much to worry.

And yes first service only includes wash and visual check up. As the SVC is quite far from your place I suggest you to write down all the jobs to be done on a paper so that nothing is left/forgotten.

Drive Safe!

Hey BV, yes this isn't large enough for an entire repaint job. I might get lucky (since silver & white are popular colors and I am sure they have some in handy) and get the touch-up done.

Thanks for the heads-up. I am leaving on Saturday morning to get this done. Will sit down tonight to make a mental list of all stuff to be done. Will update on Sunday.

Originally Posted by dot

Sad to hear about the incident. These things happen. But the sticker job was neat. Good job!

Since your ORVMs were painted with the body color, you might want to keep a small can of that paint somewhere tucked for these small irritating occasions. Hope the service guys have some still left.

Tell me about it, dotty. I had to stick/unstick about 5-6 times, then I cut off the "team-bhp.com" part from the bottom to get a near-perfect stick. Only a small part at the side protruded, but the rest stuck nicely.

They didn't give me any left-over paint from the body color job (ORVMs + door handles). But it's a pretty common and popular color for Honda (as with all cars), so I think they will always have some in hand. If they do, I'll ask them to give me some so that I can have it with me whenever I need it. Let's see.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Very unfortunate indeed. My heartfelt sympathies to you & your Pegasus. Whenever you are pre-occupied with some other stuff while driving, best option is to pull at the side of the road or in a corner, where you can get some space, switch off the engine. Let the thoughts pass your mind & when you have overcome it, restart your journey. Even I have learnt this the hard way. Couple of years back while in office I got a call from home that my daughter is not keeping well & needs to be taken to doctor immediately. I rushed out of the office, took a right turn on an over bridge, & didn't realize that a cyclist too close to my car, was trying to squeeze in. Though it was crawling traffic, as I moved ahead his cycle's pedal smashed my LHS fog lamp to pieces, all this while I was thinking @ my daughter. Didn't bother to get down from my car & blast the cyclist. Had I been a bit patient I could have easily avoided this incident.

Yes, AI, and it is a lesson in itself. Pre-occupied with something while driving can be dangerous, because driving requires the fullest concentration. You cannot be rash or careless while driving, specially if others are riding with you. A lesson learnt the hard way, I guess.

Sad to hear about your incident as well. Hope it didn't cost you much. Accidents happen so quickly and so fast that the only thing left afterwards is regret. That's why it's important to clear one's mind off everything before one steps into their car.

Oh well, hopefully this won't be a moment to remember in the future.

Originally Posted by kevinephraim

DAMN!!!!! Hardly 24 hrs since this review went live??? and we're on the 6th page!! Just shows how good this ownership review is.

A very thought out and detailed review. Comparable to the official ones and i have to say i felt it was better in some areas.

Congratulations Avinash, once again on getting Pegasus home!!! Hope you enjoy all the memorable experiences you have with the King!

Hey Kev, 24 hours?! My review's been up for about a month now (got car on 2nd March, review up on 8th March). Looks like you got the months mixed, my friend.

Thanks for liking it so far. I am not a great writer, just write the words which come from the heart.

And thank you, mate. I really hope this is a memorable experience for me as well.

Originally Posted by PhX

Sad about the scar, Avi. I got my scars removed through insurance (remember the first one I told you about?).

But within a few days, some idiot taxi driver stood too close to me on the right when I was taking a U-turn. I didn't see him and I have a long scratch on my driver's door. In addition to that, I scraped the bottom left of my bumper while reversing; I noticed the tree, but what I missed was that concrete foundation thing that they put around the base of the tree for some reason.

Anyway. If you don't mind my saying...the stickers don't really look good. The left one, like you said, is completely outlandlish and out of place. The one on the right, though in the right place, just feels to me to be the wrong colour...yellow on silver. A black sticker might have looked better...

Yikes! That's bad, PhX. How bad is the scraping? I hear you, my friend. A scratch is like someone grabbing a knife and making a long, red line across your heart! That's how I felt when I saw Pegasus's scar. A maddening, saddening moment.

The left one is just to cover the scar. I had no plans of sticking it. And the right one ("I Live To Drive") comes in yellow color only. We need to ask GTO and team to make some Live To Drive stickers in other colors as well. (I think it is easily the most popular T-BHP sticker) There are black stickers also in the pack, but somehow I got a mental block for more black stuff on Pegasus - already the black bits look like an overdose on it.

Originally Posted by eagles_ts

Since you have zero depreciation insurance why don't you get the bumper taken care of at the Honda service station ? I am sure the expense to you won't be much.

Awesome ownership thread, btw. I will keep revisiting this thread for updates.

A touch-up job shouldn't cost much. If I go for complete repaint then I will consider the insurance angle. But my rapport with the Honda dealer is good, and I am confident they will do this free of charge.

Thanks for the kind words. I'll try to keep it as updated as I can.

----------------------

Something I noticed about the ECO indicator -

Yesterday I was cruising through town with family at a speed of about 30 kmph on 4th gear, and was pleasantly surprised to see the ECO indicator glowing! The realtime FE bar was hovering at around 20 kmpl - RPM bar was around 1250 RPM.

This indicates that 40 kmph is not a set criteria for the 4th gear ECO mode; I think it has more to do with the RPM & pressure on the accelerator pedal. You need to be very nimble on the City's accelerator to extract the maximum mileage figures, remember that the City's pedal is very sensitive.

Same happened at a speed of around 15 kmph on 3rd gear as well. Like I said before, it's easy to maintain the ECO mode on highways than inside the city. The best you can get inside the City is between 10-13 kmpl, with the AC on in full blast (100%). If you get more than that, you are an exceptional driver, and it's all due to your driving skills more than anything else.

I have some queries :-

Till now, I have been washing the car myself and cleaning the windshields/windows with newspaper. Dusting the car before washing with the Jopasu Duster. For the inside, I am using a vacuum cleaner + cleaning solution on a fine silky cloth to clean the fabric seats.
Although it isn't shining clean, but both methods are pretty effective, specially the glasses become shining clean once the newspaper work is done.
My questions are -
1) I am going to get car wax and polishing solutions for the outside, to tackle the swirl marks on the bonnet and the bootlid. Anything else I need to get? How often do I need to get the car waxed?
2) What do you recommend for the insides, specially the seats? I am going to get my art leather seats installed this time, so do I need to take any special care of art leather?
3) After washing, I have noticed that a little bit of water gets accumulated on the ridge just below the doors (the door sill, where the side-step garnishes are fitted). Is that a problem I need to get checked?
4) Despite my best efforts to get the antenna straightened, it is still a little bent (about 5 degrees). How can I get this completely straight?
5) Can I wash the ridges of the bootlid without the worry of water seeping into the boot? I feel very apprehensive when spraying the bootlid because of this.
6) If you guys have any particular recommendation for car wax and car polish, please post them. Just be sure that they shouldn't be too costly, because my pockets are almost empty.


Thanks in advance, my friends.

Will update after my return on Sunday. Be safe, and drive safe!

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

I have some queries :-

My questions are -
1) I am going to get car wax and polishing solutions for the outside, to tackle the swirl marks on the bonnet and the bootlid. Anything else I need to get? How often do I need to get the car waxed?

Waxing should be done once in three months. Make sure you use only genuine wax and not polish which contains abrasives. Try to procure genuine Turtle or Formula one Wax.

2) What do you recommend for the insides, specially the seats? I am going to get my art leather seats installed this time, so do I need to take any special care of art leather?

It's around 9 months since I installed art leather seats and they are still as good as new. If the covers start getting dirty then use a mild solution of Ezee detergent with water (or a dedicated cleaning product if you wish) to clean the seats.

3) After washing, I have noticed that a little bit of water gets accumulated on the ridge just below the doors (the door sill, where the side-step garnishes are fitted). Is that a problem I need to get checked?

Never noted so can't comment.

4) Despite my best efforts to get the antenna straightened, it is still a little bent (about 5 degrees). How can I get this completely straight?

Ask the SVC guys to do it for you. After Tuesday's dust storm in NCR my car's antenna also got little bent due to the cover lifting up and down severely. I removed the antenna and slowly straightened by rolling it by hands.

5) Can I wash the ridges of the bootlid without the worry of water seeping into the boot? I feel very apprehensive when spraying the bootlid because of this.

If the bootlid is closed then no water can enter the boot so don't worry.

6) If you guys have any particular recommendation for car wax and car polish, please post them. Just be sure that they shouldn't be too costly, because my pockets are almost empty.

Turtle Wax, Formula one Wax, Collinite Wax , Collinite is best of all. For cleaning glasses I recommend you to use colin - it really makes the glass shiny.

All replies in bold!

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

All replies in bold!

Thanks so much, BV my friend. I am much indebted to you for all your valuable guidance and tips.

I have Colin at home so will start using it for the glasses. Let me see which car wax I can get. I think my accessory guy has Formula One Wax available with him.


---------------


1st Service Report: (1245 kms)


Work done - General Check-up, Washing & Cleaning, fitting of paid accessories.
Time Spent - 6 hours.
Charges - Had already paid for the alloys & the Exhaust Pipe Finisher, Labour charges were waived off, so final bill was Rs. 0/-.
Expenses incurred - Petrol fill-ups, breakfast, dinner.


Having tanked up the day before, I left my city at 5:15 AM with one of my esteemed colleagues and reached the service center at exactly 11 AM (break for mid-trip breakfast of 45 mins). Traffic was light for most of the trip and Pegasus rode beautifully. Since I am an outstation customer for Shubh Honda, I get preference in servicing and so I was allotted a slot immediately. The Service Check Sheet guy came over and noted down all the work which I wanted to be done:-

1) 1000 kms Free Service.
2) New Alloy Wheels to be fitted.
3) New Exhaust Pipe Finisher to be fitted.
4) Fog Lamps not working.
5) Rear Bumper Paintbrush Touch-Up.

Seat cover installation couldn't be done due to lack of time, he said. If I was prepared to leave Pegasus till Monday then it will be done. Since I have an urgent meeting at office, I told him I will get it done in the next Service. They told me to remove all things from the car, which I did, and the pen drives, CDs, Pioneer's remote, water bottles and my bag was out.

The Service Check Sheet was duly filled up and Pegasus was immediately taken up on the ramp to get his horseshoes changed. All the steel rims were off in a jiffy, and the new, shining 10-spoke alloys were brought out in nice, big "Honda" sealed packages. Fitting of the valves and the tyres took awhile and as soon as Pegasus got his shining new horseshoes and came back to earth from mid-flight, it was lunch break.
After lunch, the Exhaust Pipe Finisher was neatly fitted and took exactly 5 minutes. In-between, the Paint job guy came and did his job. He covered the protruding-black parts nicely but couldn't do much about the scratches, and said I will have to get a spray-gun job done to remove those. I thought it over and told them to skip it for now.
They then tackled the fog lamps and checked everything from the relays to the fuses, the wiring, the bulbs, but couldn't find the fault. They even took down the bumper and checked and re-checked the entire wiring but couldn't get them working. The bulbs lit up when they were connected directly to the battery, and the fog lamp button provided inside the car was duly lighting up as well whenever it was pressed, meaning power supply was okay.
The resident expert electrician, Somnath, who had fitted my fog lamps, had gone home during lunch break without informing anyone and had his mobile phone switched off so they couldn't contact him for his guidance.
It was 10 minutes to 5 PM when my mechanic guy came to me and said that the washing guy will be gone at 5 PM so it's better if we got Pegasus washed and cleaned first. I agreed and Pegasus was sent to hit the showers. After the washing, cleaning, polishing and vacuuming of the interiors, they got the entire fog lamp assembly taken off and fitted it back step-by-step (took another hour), but still the fog lamps refused to light up. It was getting close to closure time (6:30 PM), so the Service Manager told me that they will fix this problem whenever I bring back Pegasus in-between, or during the next Service. I was unhappy because I needed the fog lamps badly, now that rains had started in my city, but I had no choice. I reluctantly agreed and they handed over Pegasus to me, with the promise of getting the fog lamps job and the Seat Covers job during my next visit, whenever I came. The Workshop Manager waived off all Labour Charges and I was handed the Gate Pass.
I asked someone to accompany me for a trial run, and used it to double up as a trip to the nearest filling station to fill up for my journey home. I started Pegasus up and was alarmed to see the fuel indicator at the lowest 2nd bar! (~6 liters left?) We drove straight to the HP Petrol pump (the dealer also got their petrol from here) and tanked up.
Much to my surprise, the tank brimmed up at around 28 liters! Does this mean that Pegasus carries about 8 liters of reserve fuel all the time? Definitely! (42-liter tank, remember) So guys, don't worry if your Distance To Empty meter shows <10 kms at any time - you have 8 more liters at your disposal to get to the nearest filling station. A nice little discovery, I must add.
After dropping off the guy back at Honda, I picked up my colleague, Shri Mukherjee, and started on my journey home at about 7:15 PM. Driving more sedately this time (at speeds of ~80 kmph, since it was night time and the roads are bad) and a break for dinner for about 40 minutes, I reached home at 1:30 AM. Roads were almost empty with the occasional truck/night sleeper bus passing, but I was very tired, fatigued and half-sleepy so didn't go ballistic with the speeds.

Overall, an average experience. I wasn't pleased with their handling of the fog lamps problem (you would think there should be other workshop guys well-versed with electrical stuff, not just one) and thought that if they had referred to this problem first, instead of the alloys job, it might have gotten fixed before their "expert" went home. Seat cover work takes a bit of time so it was understandable to skip it. The Paint job wasn't to my satisfaction either but if that was the best they could do, did I have any option?

Hopefully I will have a better experience with my next servicing.

Here are the pictures:

Present Odometer reading.



The entire trip.



Overall FE for the entire trip.




Pegasus on the ramp with his older "steel rim" horseshoes off.



How the front disk looks after the wheel has been taken off.



The 10-spoke "Accord-ish" new alloy wheel, priced at Rs. 6712/- per.



The removed steel rims.



The finished product - with a wheelcap and without (5th wheel spare).



For a comparison (of looks), this is the original - the Accord's alloy wheel.



Guess which bad boy this alloy wheel belongs to? Yep, the CR-V.



And this is the older gen City's alloy wheel.



Fans of the Jazz X will instantly recognise this one - the different-looking gunmetal alloy wheel.



You will never guess which Honda this alloy wheel belongs to! It's the BMW X1.



And the newest kid on the block, the Brio's alloy wheel.



Pegasus being fitted with his shiny new alloy horseshoes.



Voila! Pegasus back on earth with his new horsehoes, showing them off proudly!



The Paint guy going about his touch-up paint job business.



The Exhaust Pipe Finisher's details, and yes you read it right.
The price is 3159/-!!! Honda charges a bomb for their stuff!



How this looks from the front, wraps taken off.



From the side. The hole provided is for fixing it to the exhaust pipe, by a nut.



The present "naked" exhaust pipe.



After the Finisher is fitted (and secured with the nut in place, at the bottom).



Pegasus standing outside after his wash.



The "touched-up" scar, after the paint job.

[bluevolt]

Hi Avi,

Very nice and detailed service report.

It is very irritating when something doesn't work in a new car (fog lamps in your case) but I am sure this job will be done next time.

You are right about the reserve capacity of Honda City and we were discussing this only in my thread just couple of days back http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/95840-its-me-my-honda-city-i-vtec-its-us-against-world-52.html#post2745876.

The touch up job looks fine, do a waxing on that portion and things will improve further.

Alloys and exhaust pipe finisher looks fantastic. I am also looking for a after market exhaust pipe finisher (OEM is very pricey IMO), apart from good looks it also prevents the tail pipe from rusting (though I apply wax on tail pipe and it is all shiny as new, you may also try this on the finisher).

Other than that Pegasus is giving very good mileage, keep it up and drive safe!

Enjoy revving the i-VTEC!

[dot]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

In-between, the Paint job guy came and did his job. He covered the protruding-black parts nicely but couldn't do much about the scratches, and said I will have to get a spray-gun job done to remove those. I thought it over and told them to skip it for now.

Enjoyed reading your first service report. Felt good to see that the paint job was not bad, considering it was applied by a brush which is bound to leave brush trails. Maybe a quick clear coat might reduce those marks.

And thanks for showing us the alloy wheel designs of the entire Honda range

[arup.misra]

Hey Avi,

Sorry about the mini-accident. But glad the touch up job did manage to hide the scars. As BV said, get a nice wax coat on it and rub it, this should get it much closer to the original. See if you get hold of Collinite wax and paint sealant.

Nice to read about your first service report as well. The dealership experience varies in different places I guess. I have so far got the best and the worst service experience from the same place in my two visits. Guess, you could stick to this same guy for another service and then form an affirmative opinion.

[dre@ms]

Hey buddy, nice writeup. Sorry to hijack here,

I have booked my Honda City SMT 2 weeks back. Today got to know the accessory list and their prices, but seems to be exorbitant. Need expert advices on whether to get these from Honda or outside. If outside, where in hyderabad?

1. FR/RR bumper protectors - 9200
2. Reverse parking sensor W/O camera - 4800
3. Reverse parking sensor with camera - 12850
4. PU seat covers - 9475
5. Body cover - 1455

Other than this, he suggested to do a waxoyl car care which comes around 10455. It includes,
Door cavity protector
Underbody protector
UPT fabric protector and
Engine protector

I am demanding for Michelins, but the dealer says he is not sure what tyre comes with the car. Should I opt for any other or be stubborn?

Kindly enlighten me.

[vikash49]

Love your detailed reports mate!

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

The finished product - alloy wheels (with a wheelcap and without)

This looks stunning! I'm actually surprised to see the MRP of 6712/- on these
In Oct 2011, the 'old' model alloy wheels like the one shown below used to come at an MRP of 10,049/- per piece! And now if the new model comes an an MRP od 6712/- then i'm sure the old medel must be priced even lower??

Also, are you buying all your Honda Genuine accessories at MRP or did you get any discount? At the time of purchase, I was offered a 20% discount on MRP if I purchased a minimum of 10k worth of accessories...

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

And this is the Civic's alloy wheel.

Sorry, but this is the standard alloy wheel for the 2011 V spec Honda City.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

The "touched-up" scar, after the paint job.

Well, this was possibly the best solution...

I've actually ordered and received this nifty DIY touch up kit for from ComPaints for such minor battle scars..

[arup.misra]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

1. FR/RR bumper protectors - 9200 - This is on the higher side. I got FR/RR and side for 8k. But mine was a 2011 City


2. Reverse parking sensor W/O camera - 4800 - Is this the Chinese make one? If yes bargain it down to 4k. Trust me its doable

3. Reverse parking sensor with camera - 12850 - Don't have this

4. PU seat covers - 9475 - You can better art leather seats done from outside. 10-12k is reasonable

5. Body cover - 1455 - This is in line

Other than this, he suggested to do a waxoyl car care which comes around 10455. - 3M would be much better


I am demanding for Michelins, but the dealer says he is not sure what tyre comes with the car. -

Its true Michelins are much quieter and has better road stance compared to the good years or MRF's. However if you are looking to upsize or looking to upgrade to YoKo's it shouldn't matter much. What the dealer says is true, the tyres are codemarked for each City seperately so they cannot just swap the tyres. However Michelins, MRF's and Good Years are all OEM suppliers hence the production consists of batches of each supplier. If the dealer gets a batch from Michelin more likely than not all the City he gets in that batch will have Michelins. If you can wait the dealer will sooner or later get a batch from Michelins thus a win-win for both.

Hope this helps dre@ms

[dre@ms]

Originally Posted by arup.misra

Hope this helps dre@ms

1. FR/RR bumper protectors - 9200 - This is on the higher side. I got FR/RR and side for 8k. But mine was a 2011 City - May be the price has been increased. What about if the same is purchased outside?

2. Reverse parking sensor W/O camera - 4800 - Is this the Chinese make one? If yes bargain it down to 4k. Trust me its doable - I am not sure whether its the chinese one. Believe, ASM was saying something linke Nippon

3. Reverse parking sensor with camera - 12850 - Don't have this - Ok, but I dont want this camera thingy.

4. PU seat covers - 9475 - You can better art leather seats done from outside. 10-12k is reasonable - But the ASM said that these covers will cover the arm rest in the front and rear. What about if I get it outside, will it also cover them?

5. Body cover - 1455 - This is in line - Ok

Other than this, he suggested to do a waxoyl car care which comes around 10455. - 3M would be much better - This waxoyl is also from 3M.

I am demanding for Michelins, but the dealer says he is not sure what tyre comes with the car. -

Its true Michelins are much quieter and has better road stance compared to the good years or MRF's. However if you are looking to upsize or looking to upgrade to YoKo's it shouldn't matter much. What the dealer says is true, the tyres are codemarked for each City seperately so they cannot just swap the tyres. However Michelins, MRF's and Good Years are all OEM suppliers hence the production consists of batches of each supplier. If the dealer gets a batch from Michelin more likely than not all the City he gets in that batch will have Michelins. If you can wait the dealer will sooner or later get a batch from Michelins thus a win-win for both. - I am ready to wait

My responses in italics and thanks for responding.

[RavenAvi]

Originally Posted by bluevolt

Hi Avi,

Very nice and detailed service report.

It is very irritating when something doesn't work in a new car (fog lamps in your case) but I am sure this job will be done next time.

You are right about the reserve capacity of Honda City and we were discussing this only in my thread just couple of days back http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/95840-its-me-my-honda-city-i-vtec-its-us-against-world-52.html#post2745876.

The touch up job looks fine, do a waxing on that portion and things will improve further.

Alloys and exhaust pipe finisher looks fantastic. I am also looking for a after market exhaust pipe finisher (OEM is very pricey IMO), apart from good looks it also prevents the tail pipe from rusting (though I apply wax on tail pipe and it is all shiny as new, you may also try this on the finisher).

Other than that Pegasus is giving very good mileage, keep it up and drive safe!

Enjoy revving the i-VTEC!

Hey BV, thanks and yes. To think that they conked out on the first day itself when I reached home wasn't irritating enough, they can't even fix it. Exasperating, to say the least. Hopefully they should rectify this in the next service, or I will insist for a refund and to get them taken off.

Just checked your link. Surprise coincidence! Here I was, standing in the filling station and thinking about the reserve capacity and you guys were talking about it! A boon for all of us, I must say, and a nice little discovery.

I will be getting the wax this weekend. Hopefully the waxing will improve things.

Thanks. If only there were good aftermarket shops in my area, I wouldn't have stuck with original Honda stuff. As things stand, I have no choice. All accessory shops around here pretty much suck. The alloys have added a lot of character to Pegasus, no doubt. Hopefully they last the distance. I went for the Exhaust Pipe Finisher for the same reason - to prevent the exhaust pipe's tip from rusting (since it rains a lot in my area). It looks handsome as well, when viewed from a distance. Thanks for the waxing tip, will do. Let us know if you find a good and relatively cheap aftermarket option.

Mileage would be around the 17.5/18 mark if only the highway runs would be taken into account, front and back. I am very satisfied with the FE so far. The City has exceeded my expectations on the FE front, I must admit.

Originally Posted by dot

Enjoyed reading your first service report. Felt good to see that the paint job was not bad, considering it was applied by a brush which is bound to leave brush trails. Maybe a quick clear coat might reduce those marks.

And thanks for showing us the alloy wheel designs of the entire Honda range

Hey dotty, thanks. I must admit that the guy did his best (they really couldn't do any more than this), but the scar rankles me a lot, ergo my frustration in my earlier post. Let's see if a nice little waxing job will cover it up a bit more.

Thanks. Glad you liked! I had a bit of time to kill while the service boys were busy fitting the tyres to the alloys, so went around the workshop hunting down the alloys on all Hondas. It's easiest to do this in a Honda workshop!

Originally Posted by arup.misra

Hey Avi,

Sorry about the mini-accident. But glad the touch up job did manage to hide the scars. As BV said, get a nice wax coat on it and rub it, this should get it much closer to the original. See if you get hold of Collinite wax and paint sealant.

Nice to read about your first service report as well. The dealership experience varies in different places I guess. I have so far got the best and the worst service experience from the same place in my two visits. Guess, you could stick to this same guy for another service and then form an affirmative opinion.

Hey Arup, yes it was a moment of rashness on my part. Collinite might be hard to get in my city, but I will definitely look out for it. I think Formula One is available, but need to confirm it. Let's see which one I eventually get.

For the servicings I am pretty much stuck with Shubh Honda, my friend. They are the only Honda dealers in Chhattisgarh - main dealership in Raipur, and a branch in Bilaspur. If I had to leave them, I will have to go out of state (Nagpur) to the next nearest Honda dealer. So, good experiences or bad, I have to live with them, pretty much. But thankfully so far my experience hasn't been bad. Touchwood!

Originally Posted by dre@ms

Hey buddy, nice writeup. Sorry to hijack here,

I have booked my Honda City SMT 2 weeks back. Today got to know the accessory list and their prices, but seems to be exorbitant. Need expert advices on whether to get these from Honda or outside. If outside, where in hyderabad?

1. FR/RR bumper protectors - 9200
2. Reverse parking sensor W/O camera - 4800
3. Reverse parking sensor with camera - 12850
4. PU seat covers - 9475
5. Body cover - 1455

Other than this, he suggested to do a waxoyl car care which comes around 10455. It includes,
Door cavity protector
Underbody protector
UPT fabric protector and
Engine protector

I am demanding for Michelins, but the dealer says he is not sure what tyre comes with the car. Should I opt for any other or be stubborn?

Kindly enlighten me.

Rates seem like pretty standard Honda OEMs. But I will suggest you get the car and then get all stuff done from outside, if you can. The accessory shops in my state suck, so I am stuck with my dealer for these fittings. Hopefully you won't be. Other than being outlandishly priced, the dealerships sometimes get too clogged to accommodate accessory fittings.
My Honda dealer does 3M jobs and the rates are reasonable - see if your dealer does the same as well.
For seat covers, if you don't find any good leather ones, I would suggest to go for Art Leather. Besides being cheaper, they are also easy to maintain for the length of time.
For the reverse sensors with/without camera, I suggest getting the car first and checking if you can reverse it easily without too much fuss. The ORVMs and the IRVM combine nicely for reversing (at least for me they have), and so sensors/camera can be avoided. But don't take my word for it, test it out yourself first. It's better to go for aftermarket stuff for this, rather than Honda OEM, IMO.
For body cover, ask them to give you the one with space for the antenna. If you get the plain one then you will have to take out the antenna every time you cover your car.
For a large area collision/accident, even bumper protectors aren't sufficient. That's why I didn't go for them. Bumper protectors will help you avoid scraping, and that's pretty much it. If it is necessary for you, get them done.
Regarding tyres, most of the Citys delivered since January to my dealer have had Goodyears shod on them, even the VMTs. I have seen very few MRFs and Michelins on them. Maybe the company has a large stock of Goodyears with them and getting them out through these new batches. Either way, if the dealer can't provide you a car with Michelins, you always have the option to drive to your nearest tyre shop and swap them for your favorites. But remember, Michelins have soft sidewalls and could cause problems if you run extensively on rough roads. Yokos are a better option, like my friend Arup pointed out. Or if you can extend your budget, go for Contis. Safest option would be MRFs, IMO.
Hope this helps. Do update us on your delivery, and I am looking forward to your ownership report. Btw, congrats on booking the best petrol sedan in the country today!

Originally Posted by vikash49

Love your detailed reports mate!


This looks stunning! I'm actually surprised to see the MRP of 6712/- on these
In Oct 2011, the 'old' model alloy wheels like the one shown below used to come at an MRP of 10,049/- per piece! And now if the new model comes an an MRP od 6712/- then i'm sure the old medel must be priced even lower??

Also, are you buying all your Honda Genuine accessories at MRP or did you get any discount? At the time of purchase, I was offered a 20% discount on MRP if I purchased a minimum of 10k worth of accessories...




Sorry, but this is the standard alloy wheel for the 2011 V spec Honda City.



Well, this was possibly the best solution...

I've actually ordered and received this nifty DIY touch up kit for from ComPaints for such minor battle scars..

Thanks, my friend. No, the older 5-spoke alloys are actually priced higher than the new 10-spoke ones. The older ones are 10,511/- per alloy, and the new ones are 6,712/-. I am getting some discounts, since I bought about 70K worth of accessories from them. For the alloys, they charged me 6,250/- per alloy, and labour charges were waived off.


Sorry, you are right. Corrected my initial post accordingly. Thanks, mate!


Let me see if waxing covers the scar as nicely as it can. If not, I shall look up for the touch up kit and get it ordered. Thanks for the heads up, my friend.


------------------

I brought all the steel rims (+ wheelcaps) with me on my return. My local accessory guy has promised me to get a good deal for them. How much can I expect for these 15" steel rims? It's a set of 5 rims, plus 5 wheelcaps. I don't want to sell them to the scrap boys just yet.

Also, I have noticed that the steering has weighted up a bit more. Is it to do with the alloys?
Earlier, it was light (but not as light or disconnected as say, a Verna or a DZire), but now I can feel it's meaty weight when I do the turns.
Also, the "Power Steering" icon on the console lights up when I turn on the key, but disappears as soon as I crank up the engine, something which didn't happen before I swapped the wheels. Is it a cause of worry?

Pegasus feels a wee bit more stable when taking quick turns now. I must say the weight of the alloys has added to the stability of the City. Another point of note - on my return trip, with the boot loaded with all 5 steel rims (quite a bit of weight), I passed at least 10-12 moderately sized speed breakers, and one huge speed breaker on the entrance to my city. I am glad to report that Pegasus didn't scrap his underbelly, not even once. A testimony to the improved GC in the new 2012 City, and the tweaked, stiffened suspension.

[arup.misra]

Originally Posted by dre@ms

1. FR/RR bumper protectors - What about if the same is purchased outside? - You could get it cheaper outside but make sure the color matches with the body color else it'll look odd.

2. Reverse parking sensor W/O camera - 4800 -Nippon - Yup similar one I got

4. PU seat covers - 9475 - But the ASM said that these covers will cover the arm rest in the front and rear. What about if I get it outside, will it also cover them? - Within 10-12k you can get armrest as well as door pads covered as well from outside.

This waxoyl is also from 3M. - To be honest I'm not a believer in this. I prefer to wax & polish my car myself. You not only are able to do it to your satisfaction but you can achieve similar (if not better) results at a much lower cost. Check here how I did mine http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post2673341

I am demanding for Michelins, but the dealer says he is not sure what tyre comes with the car. -

Replies in bold mate

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Hey Arup, yes it was a moment of rashness on my part. Collinite might be hard to get in my city, but I will definitely look out for it.

AFAIK, Collinite isn't available officially in India. Ordered mine from a guy recommended on tbhp. Google bringing best impex and go to the first link. Ordered and got mine in 3-4 days

I think Formula One is available - They are of very inferior quality. Trust me I used both.

For the servicings I am pretty much stuck with Shubh Honda, my friend. They are the only Honda dealers in Chhattisgarh - main dealership in Raipur, and a branch in Bilaspur.

Hope they are able to resolve your problems.

[vikash49]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

For the alloys, they charged me 6,250/- per alloy, and labour charges were waived off.

That's indeed a very tempting price for Original Honda alloys.I'm sure you must have got the wheels balanced before installation.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Are you sure? The pic of the alloy wheel I took was right beside a white Civic, with it's front left wheel off. Maybe our friend Dot can enlighten us here, since he owns a Civic.

Yup. Pretty sure. The Civic wheels are 114.3mm PCD and 5-Hole design, whereas those of the City are 100mm PCD and 4-Hole design like the one in your photo.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

I brought all the steel rims (+ wheelcaps) with me on my return. My local accessory guy has promised me to get a good deal for them. How much can I expect for these 15" steel rims? It's a set of 5 rims, plus 5 wheelcaps. I don't want to sell them to the scrap boys just yet.

I was quoted 1k by the Authorised Dealership for the 5-rims and wheel caps.

These have very little resale value actually. I was unwilling to let them go at such a low price.. so got them properly cleaned and dried and packed each one in the polythene and cartoon box that came with the alloys. Put them away in my basement store room.

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

I must say the weight of the alloys has added to the stability of the City.

Actually, even though the alloys might look beefier, these are actually about 20% lighter than the OEM steel rims!

And Collinite 845 is highly recommended and available online @ www.carpolish.in. I've bought multiple items from there and very satisfied overall.

EDIT : Just checked the website now and no products seem to be listed there anymore... strange!

[dre@ms]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Rates seem like pretty standard Honda OEMs. But I will suggest you get the car and then get all stuff done from outside, if you can. The accessory shops in my state suck, so I am stuck with my dealer for these fittings. Hopefully you won't be. Other than being outlandishly priced, the dealerships sometimes get too clogged to accommodate accessory fittings.
My Honda dealer does 3M jobs and the rates are reasonable - see if your dealer does the same as well.
For seat covers, if you don't find any good leather ones, I would suggest to go for Art Leather. Besides being cheaper, they are also easy to maintain for the length of time.
For the reverse sensors with/without camera, I suggest getting the car first and checking if you can reverse it easily without too much fuss. The ORVMs and the IRVM combine nicely for reversing (at least for me they have), and so sensors/camera can be avoided. But don't take my word for it, test it out yourself first. It's better to go for aftermarket stuff for this, rather than Honda OEM, IMO.
For body cover, ask them to give you the one with space for the antenna. If you get the plain one then you will have to take out the antenna every time you cover your car.
For a large area collision/accident, even bumper protectors aren't sufficient. That's why I didn't go for them. Bumper protectors will help you avoid scraping, and that's pretty much it. If it is necessary for you, get them done.
Regarding tyres, most of the Citys delivered since January to my dealer have had Goodyears shod on them, even the VMTs. I have seen very few MRFs and Michelins on them. Maybe the company has a large stock of Goodyears with them and getting them out through these new batches. Either way, if the dealer can't provide you a car with Michelins, you always have the option to drive to your nearest tyre shop and swap them for your favorites. But remember, Michelins have soft sidewalls and could cause problems if you run extensively on rough roads. Yokos are a better option, like my friend Arup pointed out. Or if you can extend your budget, go for Contis. Safest option would be MRFs, IMO.
Hope this helps. Do update us on your delivery, and I am looking forward to your ownership report. Btw, congrats on booking the best petrol sedan in the country today!

Makes sense pal. Thanks for the heads up.
I am new to Hyderabad and stay in a place which is very far from the city. I am not sure where to get all these fixed outside. Better to do it from Honda.
For the time being, I have decided to go for the seat covers, body covers and reverse parking sensor. Sensor, why because, previously I have driven the Spark and had no issue while reversing and this is my first sedan, so to be extra cautious.
Definitely would ask for a cover which has provision for the antenna
Like you have mentioned, I am pretty excited to get my hands on the beauty and really proud. BTW, I am getting the Sparkling brown color.

Regards to the tyre, to travel to the city, I have to drive on the warangal highway, so which would suit?

Originally Posted by arup.misra

Replies in bold mate

Thanks for the reply pal. The car care polish is done on the body, interior on the leather and on the engine too. Still do not opt for it?