[ManasN95]

Prologue: Mom's 50th birthday was fast approaching, and I remember her saying that she wants to go on long drives in a classy sedan, visiting places she has in her bookmarks. We had the Fiat Palio 1.1 SLX which was not very maintained and being a FIAT. We always had the issue of servicing and spare parts and she wasn't very reliable for the touring necessities.

Hence, I was on the lookout for a pre-owned sedan, because 1) I am a big fan of the value pre-owned market offers, all three of my vehicles are pre-owned. Thanks, GTO. 2) My budget ~4L.

Purchase decision: I calculated a budget around 4L to 4.5L that I can afford through EMIs with my teaching job, as business income was rocky and I didn't want to risk it, and then later ask Mom's help for some EMIs I may not pay, hence the budget constraints and with that, I looked at three options - Honda City, VW Vento, Hyundai Verna.

On scouting hordes of sites like OLX, Droom, CarTrade, I had almost fixated on Vento, as I am a fan-boy of German designs and their clean lines, subjective opinion, but I would always choose a VW or a Skoda over a Honda or Hyundai or the likes. Nothing makes me go weak in my knees like clean and minimalist structures. But, going through various mixed reports of VW, of great build quality to horror ASC stories and cost of ownership, I didn't want to risk the peace of mind and decided that I would keep the Germans to a brand new purchase, not in the used market. Flirted with Verna for a while, but mostly read the cost of that spare part is 80% of VW but the car is nowhere as reliable as a Honda; but I admit, insane features for the price.

Confused again, as I have only ever driven a Palio, and that too just for a couple of years, hence I have no experience whatsoever of what handling dynamics, EBD, steering feedback, and other technical terms would actually mean; as anything would feel like an upgrade on a poorly maintained Palio of 2009.

Honda City was my first choice when I started searching, but I absolutely hated the HU design and the knobs, but overall had a soft spot for the car (because Honda) and I especially liked the headlights and the rear three quarters. But, I simultaneously started searching for a touchscreen HU to replace ASAP if I choose the City.

I started my search from the scratch again, and I came across some newly added Honda Citys, and particularly one stood out - it looked black in shade, but metallic purple under sunlight.



It was a 2012 model, V-AT and what particularly caught my attention was that the previous owner had only driven her 16xxx KMs!! I was overjoyed but kept my senses cool as Honda cars are known for a good amount of odometer readings, and this one was not! Everything flashed across, odometer tampering, accidental vehicle because it looked so good that some of us thought that it had been repainted, and the cherry on top was that the previous owner had installed CASKA touchscreen HU, which saved me from that expense.



I immediately called up the dealer, and the negotiations began, and a couple of dozen calls later, I asked her to be brought to my place for a test drive, got her checked through my trusted mechanic and when given a go-ahead, I paid the token amount to book her for me, provided that I will be allowed to get her thoroughly checked through an ASC (when they re-open), in which, any suspicious thing and I would get the token money back, to which the dealer agreed easily and he even gave the location himself, which assured me a little. I also managed to procure the number of the previous owner and she confirmed that the car was just used for home-to-office commute, hence the low mileage. More assurance.

This was initially a surprise plan for Mom on the day of her birthday, but as it turned out, I had to inform her during the buying process and it turned out to be a good decision as she helped with a better source of the loan, which helped in lessening the EMI load on my shoulders.

We readied the finance, and went to see her in Mumbai, had already booked an appointment with the Sewri branch of Arya Honda, and after fighting insane traffic (8th June - first day of unlocking) we reached a good 1 hour late to the dealer. The car was readied, polished, and we took her to the ASC. Filled up the form for a general check-up and some 3-4 hours later, we received a thumbs-up from the SA, only issues were that brake pads were only good for another 1000 KMs (2 mm material left) and the battery water had gone black. The minor rattling of the driver's seat was attributed to a loose nut, but she was in perfect condition apart from that. Pulling up the service records showed that the car was only brought for regular maintenance and nothing related to bodywork.

So, all in all, the deal was done! I got home MY first car, and the same route back, through the same traffic, was blissful, thanks to the automatic gearbox and a bone-chilling A.C. I got used to to the smooth gearshifts and the working of the auto-box pretty quick, and a fortunate pooja later, she was parked in the society premises; where-as the Palio was kept outside, which did break my heart a little - You get some, you lose some.

The deal: I paid 4.35L for a 2012 Honda City V-AT (17165 KMs at the time of purchase) with CASKA H.U and a rear camera already installed. Saved two of my primary expenses, and also, the tires were of 2018, Yokohamas (although 175); hence for me, it is a fair deal, some might say I could have gotten her for less. Maybe, but I am happy. More importantly, my Mom's happy, that's what I wanted.



First Impressions (After 500 KMs)

Pros (as observed):

1) Super silent engine, except the start-up sound, never could make the car running, especially in P Mode.

2) The gear shifts are quite smooth and feel linear in D mode, a little aggressive dabbing of the accelerator, and the car pulls in the same gear till a higher RPM before shifting, which I like very much. I found that the car has a creep function, and oh boy, what a relief for in traffic conditions.

3) I tried Sports mode when returning from a weekend visit to Nashik, and boy, it has become my favorite! I tend to take my foot off the gas when I change the gears through paddle shifters as my old habit. (but is it necessary?). The overtakes are a breeze in S mode, and OH MY GOD the engine roars after 4K RPM and I was grinning like an idiot. The jump from 57 BHP to 114 BHP has me spell-bound! The MID showed up ECO even at speeds of 110-120 in S and 5th gear. HAPPY!

4) The brakes too, are linear, with a good bite when pressed more than ~20%, but they are to be changed soon.

5) Minimal engine braking, not sure if this is a positive (definitely on highways as I can give gaps between the need to accelerate) but technically a con in the city as I would need more use of brakes. (I love my CBR's engine braking in this regard in the lower gears, minimal use of brakes within city limits)

6) A.C is a chiller, even in splintering heat, fan speed on 4 cools down the cabin in 5 minutes maximum, (The previous owner, I think has installed some 3M sun film as there are 3M markings on the front windshield) But all in all, cool super quick and then I am more than comfortable on fan speed 1 once the cabin is cooled, but Dad complains at the back, so its fan speed 2 to keep everyone cozy, although I then later change the direction of the vents away from me. Rear vents feel needful, but not because of weak A.C capabilities but for better circulation.

7) The steering feels chunky to hold, and super light, and it takes two full rotations to turn the wheels to their maximum in either direction, as opposed to a single rotation in my Palio, and the turning radius is definitely shorter than the FIAT. Handling a sedan for the first time has been very smooth, and crisp steering feedback has a lot of praise for it.

8) The gear lever is also nice to the touch, and the silver button to change gear feels satisfactory. I liked the pearl piano black finish on the plastic cover denoting the P, N, R, D, S gears.

9) Center arm-rest storage big enough to accommodate my wallet, keys, a sanitizer, and a still has space to store a couple of similarly sized items. The arm-rest length is okay for me, I can comfortably rest my hand, but Dad complains. I am 5'10, he is 5'6.

10) Can holder behind the arm-rest is big and wide enough to hold a large McD coke container, but as stated earlier, rent vents are a miss, as felt by Dad (He sits at the back when all three of us travel together.)

11) Rear passenger armrest is comfortable and wide enough to accommodate both passengers; I don't think there will be territorial fights like in movie theaters.

12) Steering control buttons and stalks feel sturdy, good to the touch. (Do the indicators have a lane switch function?) Haven't used cruise control yet, as I still don't have the owner's manual.

13) Music quality is good enough for me, when connected through Bluetooth, good overalls, haven't yet fiddled with the equalizer settings, but I am not an audiophile, hence do not see it as a possible upgrade.

14) The chrome door handles are chunky, and the doors close with a soft thud. I have heard a lot of praises for VW in this regard, but please note, these are my comparisons against a 2009 Palio.

15) Have heard the ORVMs are India friendly, but haven't tried that yet, due to obvious fears; a nicety to have nonetheless.

16) The alloys look gorgeous, the only change I would like is to color them to a different shade.

17) Seats are comfortable, a gigantic leap in overall support, comfort against Palio.

Cons (as observed):

1) Some part of sheet metal feels clumsy, easily flexes even while wiping her down, especially roof, but I was prepared for this from all the detailed forums over the internet.

2) Boot door might just be lighter even than my cat. Paperboard material, probably. Loading height is okay for me but might be a problem for others.

3) Ingress and Regress an issue for elders, I saw my grandmother struggling, although the wide opening of doors help. But almost 90-degree wide opening could turn out to be one less support for elders to have, especially when getting out of the car. I'll be courteous all the time to get down first and help elders after. (Some extra brownie points too from them)

4) Front cubby holes are a little inconveniently placed for me, might accommodate coffee cups, but that would render the storage behind them useless. I usually keep my phone there.

5) Door storage is satisfactory, probably might accommodate just 500 ml bottles. I am struggling with a location to keep my umbrellas after getting in the car during the rains, please suggest. The passenger needs to hold them upright throughout.

6) Ground Clearance, a well-known negative, although the 2012 update comes with 165 mm (5 mm more). Scraped just once, with three onboard, no luggage. Searching for options, probably fixed on the ROGERABS. For now, the slow and diagonal approach is working out just fine, the followers can honk all they want, I am deaf (obviously, NOT).

7) Lots of road noise, almost comparable to Palio. What can be done? I don't want to change the tires until they're exhausted. They're stock specifications. Can I retrofit wheel well cladding? Any other tips?

8) Mom feels the need for the slotted coin holders, we had in our Palio, I don't.

9) Speeds of 120 are smooth, but I felt more cautious than confident; might be because of dynamics and tires, or might be my fears of something going wrong on a newly acquired responsibility.

10) A protruding hump at the front passenger's under-seat which eats into the foot space, and mom finds it uncomfortable, I observed it is the same on my side, but I don't mind, because I, 90% of the time, keep my legs stretched.

Expenses (Part 1):

As Almira was purchased during the lockdown, I am taking it slow, shortlisting only extremely necessary changes, and hence, brake pads and a battery, are the top two.

I have already ordered Amaron HILife Pro from batterybhai (4000/-), finalized on Brembo replacement brake pads (red ones).

For keeping her clean, I already have Sonax Concentrate Gloss Shampoo, Sonax Multi-sponge, 3M Compound, Meguiar's Polish, Wavex Hybrid-X, AmazonBasics drying towels, Softspun microfibers, SOBBY Microfiber (800 GSM), Softspun applicators, and ProKlear WWC windshield Wash and of course Jopasu duster.
Particularly impressed with Wavex Hybrid-X, and Meguiar's Polish (But it would be dedicated to the CBR). Looking at Turtle Wax next, to be specifically doing the duties on Almira.

I got her detailed from MaxShine Auto, Thane and the owner, Mangesh Kalzunkar, is the most professional person I have come across in the recent past. The job was thorough to the T, and all 5 employees working were equally committed. Paid 5000, for a service, which would be next required in 8-9 months.

[ManasN95]

Experience after 1 year & ~10,000 KMs under my ownership:

For this part, for the reader's convenience, I will follow the Team-BHP list to jot down the likes & dislikes.

- Engine type & variant: 1.5L I-Vtec, V variant Auto Transmission. A boon in the city traffic and fun on the highways in the S gear.



- The good and bad about its features: Coming from a Palio, the City is a huge upgrade on creature comforts, so I am pretty satisfied with the equipment that comes with the car.

- Safety & related equipment: Comes with ABS and 2 airbags. The sheet metal is alright, supposedly a tad bit better than the 4th Gen City - not a personal view.

- Number of kms at the time of writing your review: ~10,000 KMs under my ownership, Total 25,xxx KMs on the odometer.

- Your usage pattern: 85% in the City, 15% on the highways. Almost acts as a cargo car during her runs in the city for my business.

- Comments on the exterior styling & design: Personally for me, the best looking Honda City amongst all 5 generations, maybe the 4th Gen Facelift coming close. The rear three quarters are absolutely drool-worthy.



- Overall build quality, fit & finish, paint quality, and panel gaps: Build quality is above average, the doors and bonnet feel heavy, the trunk is like a piece of paper, and roof flexes too easily.
The metallic brown shade looks gorgeous in daylight but is a pain to keep it clean and shiny. She being the cargo car, is dirty 95% of the time. It pains me, but now I find her more attractive when she is dirty!

- Wheels & tires: Alloys are pretty, not very tough to clean, and the silver finish nicely complements the body color. The tires are satisfactory for my use. I am sure enthusiasts would first upsize the tires. She came with Yokohamas which are more than satisfactory with what they are intended for. Faced two punctures to date.



- Interior design & quality (plastics, upholstery, fit & finish, etc.): A big upgrade from the Palio, but there are a few squeaks from the window panes but nothing else will show that she is 9 years old. I like the beige interiors. The seat covers, roof liners, and plastics are in top shape with no cracks or bulges. Very premium cabin for me.

- Interior space & comfort...front & back (seat support, legroom, headroom & width): For short trips, I am okay with the seating ergonomics, but my back and driving foot ankles starts paining a lot after a long trip even when the seat is fully pushed back and at the topmost height setting. In fact, my left leg pains more because of no action at all. Headroom is fine for me. I am 5"10.
The legroom and headroom are abundant for my parents.

- Visibility & size of mirrors: Perfect, ORVMs are big enough to show the world behind, and the IRVM too shows quite a bit of the rear. Palio sucked in this department.

- Air conditioner cooling & effectiveness: Top! Bone-chilling in winters and rains, and only requires 5-7 minutes in summers to completely cool the cabin.

- Audio system & sound quality: I am satisfied, but I am not an audiophile. The stock sound is crisp, clear, and has good overalls.

- Interior storage, practicality & boot space: The interior storage is lacking, and not too intelligent. For example, I can't fit 1L bottles, umbrellas, and coins to be easily accessible. Rear doors do not have any storage at all.
Rear armrests have cubby holes, can easily fit coffee cups and bottles. Boot space is huge, for me. I haven't been on multiple day trips yet, but I am sure it will be enough, even with the CNG installed.

- Engine performance & driveability in the city: Verrrrry smooth, I am elated by the ease with which I can maneuver, close the gaps and punch through the traffic in D mode.

- Engine performance & driveability on the highway: Put her in S mode and watch the miles flow by. I am a 90-110 KMPH guy though; and I am the most comfortable here in regards to steering, braking, and reactions. I cannot imagine the fun people would have who love to go even higher with this motor, and OH MY GOD that exhaust note after 6K RPM is addictive.

- If automatic: smoothness, quick or slow shifting, kick down reaction time, lag, manual mode, etc.: One of the smoothest transitions in between gears. If you are not flooring it, you would not even notice the shifts. Kickdown is a mini second late, but I enjoy the after knockdown effects more to be bothered by the half-second loss.

- Overall NVH levels (including engine, wind & road noise): Road noise is a bit much, but better tires should solve it I suppose. Wheel cladding is absent too.

- Fuel efficiency: City and Highway: Abysmal, 8-9 KMPL in the city and 12-13 KMPL on the highway before the CNG installation.

14-15 KMPL in the city and 19-20 KMPL on the highway post the CNG installation. The installer said it will go up even more.

- Suspension & ride quality (at low as well as high speeds): Except the prominent thuds, the suspension do their job. (I have also installed AutoRunner buffers after the CNG installation).
The turning radius is sweet! The steering is nice to hold and very responsive.

- Braking (effectiveness, pedal feel...): The stock Nissin brake pads were nice, but almost at an end so couldn't judge. I installed Brembo replacement brake pads (red ones) which have a superb bite, although emit a screeching sound & brake dust.



- Ground clearance: One of the major negatives, but after Autorunners, I haven't scraped even once even with an 80 kg CNG tank, and 4 occupants even on bad roads.

- Cost of upkeep & maintenance: Being a Honda, I can service her once in a year, which should range in between 5K to 6K for a generic service with fully synthetic oil, which is nice. Reliability and low cost of ownership were my two must-haves which the Honda City nicely satisfies.

Continued:

[Researcher]

Congratulations on the car! It seems like a good deal and being a Honda with all the features you need (maybe just a dashcam more?), there is a very small chance that it throw an expensive surprise, especially in this pandemic. It does not look like a 2012 one and certainly has been maintained quite well.

Back in November 2017, a cousin in Mumbai was scouting for Civics but backed off due to the low ground clearance of Honda sedans. He ended up with a 34k kms run 2013 SX4 automatic for 3.4 lacs. He has been quite happy with it ever since. The proper automatics (torque converter and CVTs) of the previous generation sedans are great deals in the used marketplace when all you get new for 3-5 lacs these days are mostly AMTs.

One thing you may like to do is change the transmission fluid if not already done as per the maintenance charts. Also, since City has had both CVTs and TCs, you may keep an eye on the correct type of fluid being used during replacement. My cousin did the same late last year for his SX4 when it had done 48k and it was quite easy to do at an FNG.

[ManasN95]

CNG Installation:

After one year, and the actual usage of the City dawning upon us; which is to haul cargo 90% of her time, and the ever-increasing fuel prices coupled with the low mileage, we decided to install CNG. Now, much has been discussed on the subject of after-market CNG installation on our forum, hence I will just convey that being from a lower-middle-class family, I just couldn't afford the running that is projected in the upcoming months for my business. I understand that it affects the engine life, may or may not pose a health hazard, and performance is affected. For me, the only thing that mattered right now is the hole that is burning in my pocket, and we had to think thrice before taking the City out for even a 200 KM round trip.

Anyway, the CNGs have come a long way, and for Rs. 49/kg vs Rs. 103/liter and city mileage of 15 KMPkg vs 8 KMPL respectively, the math was simple. I have already recovered 5% of the cost of the CNG installation in a week.

Kit Installed: Lovato Sequential kit with 14 kg tank from an official installer of Lovato.
Costs incurred: Rs. 51,000 all inclusive.

Add on: AutoRunner buffers for all 4 at Rs. 5000. This has solved the ground clearance issue completely even with CNG full tank + 4 occupants. She hasn't scraped at the usual places where she did scrape 100% before CNG + AutoRunner buffers. Very happy with this purchase, and as experienced from a recent 200 KM trip, the handling hasn't been affected more than 5% especially in ghats. Still a hoot to drive and handle.

Post CNG: The pick-up has affected 10% but I am a sedate driver 90% of the time, so I don't mind. The pros far outweigh the cons.
Also, I feel the A.C performance lag a bit, but I will wait for a couple of months to properly judge on that parameter.

Yearly service:

After going through the TeamBHP forums, I came across a garage chain called the MotoFyx, and decided to get her serviced from their Thane branch. The appointment was seamless and they create a WhatsApp group to give live time updates of the work done on the car, but I was present anyway. The Thane garage was shabby, expected of a garage, but they should have taken a lot more care while handling the tools near the car, a couple of dings and scratches which I gave them an earful for.

Apart from the usual service, the engine oil, oil filter (which is cheaper than the oil filter in the Honda CBR250R) the air filter & cabin filter were changed, along with coolant flushing.

She has been very smooth since, as the filters were extremely dirty before. Oil used was Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 fully synthetic.

Wish-list:

A vacuum cleaner, some cosmetic/functional add-ons like the bumper protectors, LED cabin and boot lights, illuminated sill plates, jumper cables (must-have for AT), window visors, better and nicer floor mats, a couple of intelligent storage options and sun-shades are on the list, along with some interior trim stickering ideas to personalise her a bit.

On the mechanical front, the rear drum brakes cylinders are leaking, which is a priority from all of the above.

On an ending note:

The decision of getting the City was to satisfy mom's wish, which is to travel. While the situation hasn't permitted that yet, looking back on the past year, it feels a good decision to get her, as I am assured of a reliable, frugal and easy on the pocket (especially with the CNG) work horse, which will primarily do the duties of a cargo hauler, and then change her stance completely and become my highway companion when needed, and then again change her stance into elegance and then help me impress my date; what else could I have asked for?

She's the jack of all trades and master of one - my heart.

[ManasN95]

Originally Posted by Researcher

Congratulations on the car! (maybe just a dashcam more?) It does not look like a 2012 one and certainly has been maintained quite well.

One thing you may like to do is change the transmission fluid if not already done as per the maintenance charts.

Hello! Thanks a lot. Yes, Dash-cam is on my wish list too.
Yes, she sparkles in black, and 85% of the credit goes to the previous owner who has really maintained her well.

I have discussed this with Honda mechanics and members of this forum alike, all are of the opinion that being only 25,000 KMs and under 10 years old, the transmission oil change is not required. I will revisit this topic again once she completes 10 years!

[vigsom]

Originally Posted by ManasN95

Honda City - one stood out - 2012 model, V-AT - looked black in shade, but metallic purple under sunlight.

- also managed to procure the number of the previous owner and she confirmed that the car was just used for home-to-office commute, hence the low mileage.

- Pulling up the service records showed that the car was only brought for regular maintenance

- paid 4.35L ; some might say I could have gotten her for less. Maybe, but I am happy. More importantly, Mom's happy

Great choice, @ManasN95. Although black isn't my preferred shade for a car, I've always believed that a well maintained black is a sure shot genuine buy. The 2012-13 Honda City looks stunning in this shade, with all the chrome around. Of all the Citys, the 2001-2002 VTEC, the 2005-08 ZX, and the 2012-13 facelift have been my favorites. I have never owned one though.

A low odo reading in 8 years will always be suspect, and it is good that you did your due diligence before going ahead. At least you know you haven't missed anything out.

On the deal, you've got a good car, with lot of add ons. Also please understand that dealers also have to live out of what they make from a car. So, as long as the car is good, Mom's happy and you're happy, that is what matters the most.

- The alloys look gorgeous, the only change I would like is to color them to a different shade.

- Lots of road noise, almost comparable to Palio. What can be done?

1. DO NOT change the colour of the alloys - it will spoil the looks of the car

2. For the road noise, look up the forum and you'll find solutions. Clue : damping.

CNG

Although I can understand running costs, this isn't a move I'd recommend, inspite of me spending several years in a CNG City aka Surat. Anyways, now that the conversion is done, do ensure that you run the car on petrol at least 20% of the time, else you'll see a busted fuel pump and clogged injectors which will offset all your gains on CNG.

Sharing a pic of a 2016 Honda Accord EX-B from the UAE - note the similar design for the front grille as your City.

[TrackDay]

Nice ride ! The car makes a nice case for why it makes a better proposition to go the pre-owned route. The car seems to have been maintained pretty well overall by the previous owner. Wishing you many happy miles with the ride

Sorry if I have missed it, but which automatic gearbox (TC OR CVT) is this generation of the city paired with ?

[Fateh Salim]

Originally Posted by ManasN95

So, all in all, the deal was done! I got home MY first car

Even if you hadn't posted photos of your honda, In my head, I'd have a lot of similar images. That's how well you've worded it.

hence for me, it is a fair deal, some might say I could have gotten her for less. Maybe, but I am happy. More importantly, my Mom's happy, that's what I wanted.

People say a lot of things. You can't expect to persuade everyone. All that counts is that you and your parents are satisfied. I feel It is always better to pay a little more for a car than to get one that is somewhat worn and then spend money attempting to restore it. In such situations, your mind engages in a game with you. Finally, you would have had to pay for new tyres, a touch screen head unit, and extra services such as paint and body work, resulting in a total price that is more than what you paid for.

The jump from 57 BHP to 114 BHP has me spell-bound!

Just like you, I know how it feels to upgrade from a palio to something zippier and more contemporary. I consider myself lucky to have experienced the palio at some point in life.

Wish-list:

Are you going to make any mechanical changes or upgrades? Perhaps anything as simple as a better inhaling airfilter?

1. DO NOT change the colour of the alloys - it will spoil the looks of the car

Totally agree with vigsom. They are the sole distinguishing features that break up the dark shade's monotony and I think they look beautiful the way they are.

[dhruvritzed]

Originally Posted by ManasN95

CNG Installation:

After one year, and the actual usage of the City dawning upon us; which is to haul cargo 90% of her time, and the ever-increasing fuel prices coupled with the low mileage, we decided to install CNG. Now, much has been discussed on the subject of after-market CNG installation on our forum, hence I will just convey that being from a lower-middle-class family, I just couldn't afford the running that is projected in the upcoming months for my business. I understand that it affects the engine life, may or may not pose a health hazard, and performance is affected. For me, the only thing that mattered right now is the hole that is burning in my pocket, and we had to think thrice before taking the City out for even a 200 KM round trip.

Hi Manas, just read about the CNG part, call it a coincidence but I also installed CNG in my City ivtec 2009 once my brother parted ways with it in 2019 when he go the verna, so city was handed over to my driver at around 85000km in November 2019 and by July 2020, it was hard to justify the petrol bills, car was at 95000km. That time we decided to get a CNG kit too, paid 32000₹ for the kit and around 300₹ for shocker spacers, it was a boon as our running doubled or more but the car used to feel very sluggish, that's when we got an advancer kit for the CNG and the car's performance on CNG really transformed, today the car is at 122000+ km and the acceleration is almost 90% of that of petrol, for a beater it's a terrific performer but let me tell you, on CNG your coil packs and spark plugs will pack up early, as will the shockers, brake pads for my car have been an eternal issue, so I keep that small expense aside.
Just to give you a perspective, I have saved roughly 5-6₹ a km, meaning around 125000₹ minimum over the last year, my recovery was especially quick as the car did 7000km in 50 days around my marriage last year.
Cheers

[MOUNTAINMAN]

Congratulations!
Always liked this generation of CITY's shape and its a great car for city and highways with the auto in it. A perfect preowned purchase. Great buy!

The below two would have raised my eyebrows:

Originally Posted by ManasN95

Filled up the form for a general check-up and some 3-4 hours later, we received a thumbs-up from the SA, only issues were that brake pads were only good for another 1000 KMs (2 mm material left) and the battery water had gone black.

Brake pads wearing out in around 18k kms could have raised a red flag for odometer tampering.

Originally Posted by ManasN95

and also, the tires were of 2018, Yokohamas (although 175);

Also the tires being replaced before 17k kms and that that too around 2 years before raises a red flag for odometer tampering. This could have been replaced knowingly by the owner once the tires ages 5 years, but then it is very rare in India to replace tires by age and not by TWI.


I am sure you must have cross checked the mileage at all service intervals in ASC's records to match the car's odometer.

However in the end, you have run the car for a year now without any fuss, and with green flag by mechanic on the condition is all that you need. Even if the meter is tampered, the condition of the engine, mechanicals and body is all that matters. As they say, age (odo) is just a number (for Hondas and Toyota and other modern cars).

If your preowned purchase turns out good then it adds more fun and satisfaction to the drive. Enjoy your ride!

[manim]

Originally Posted by ManasN95

It was a 2012 model...

your thread reminded me of my 2012 year visit to Goa with friends on two Honda-City's 3rd gen. It was a round trip of around 2,500 kms done within a few days.

The City was 100% reliable and got us back safely!

(this photo was very near Colva-beach).

[arvindmanju]

Congratulations! on your car ownership.
Great buy! You have got a very good car. We have the similar model car MT and white in colour. I alway liked this generation of City, face lift makes it look even better.
I have put 185 section tyres and the GC has improved and car doesn’t scrap even fully loaded. Probably you can think about it in the future when you want to change tyres.
Posting the picture of my car

[pratik1992]

Happy to see that you're enjoying the car. I think you and I purchased a 2012 City V AT at about the same time (I purchased mine in Jan 2020), as I remember some of our interactions on Hamza123's amazing Silver Arrow thread. It is a fantastic car. The engine/transmission combo is a match made in heaven for long distance cruisers like me. Set the cruise control to 90, and waft away..! And if you want are in the mood for some excitement, move it to S and it starts roaring. Mountain twisties (like the ones in Charmady Ghat near Mangaluru) plus the paddle shifter were really fun. That's the only time I felt the size of the car to be a minor hindrance. And only time I heard the 195 Eagle F1s squeal. My mum also loved it. She usually gets motion sickness, but man was I surprised when she said yes to a 1200KM jaunt around Karnataka, after being in my car a few times.

Did fitting the CNG change any of the driving characteristics (Suspension, acceleration)? I always felt the City was too light in the rear half. Suspension felt way more composed over bumps whenever there was some weight in the boot or people in the back.

I miss mine everyday since I sold in Feb 2021. Not the car's fault in any way, just some life things. I can still see that it's live on OLX by the dealer who purchased it from me (for 40% premium! ). From time to time I have the thought to buy it back. Head wins this battle over the heart. But I still find myself swiping through it's pics. It was my first car after all


It has no bad angles

[FlashMustang]

Hearty congratulations on your purchase!
A very nice buy indeed!
And, spot on observations on the car!

I own the same model and variant too - 2012 face-lifted V AT.

Originally Posted by ManasN95

Haven't used cruise control yet, as I still don't have the owner's manual.

To use cruise control, you would use the steering mounted controls. Press the Cruise button first. Thereafter, once you are at the desired speed where you would like to engage cruise control, press the Set button. This would engage cruise control, and you can take your foot off the accelerator. Use the Accel button to increase the set speed by about 2 km/hr for each press of the button. Use the Decel button to reduce the set speed by about 2 km/hr for each press of the button.

To disengage cruise control, either press the Cancel button or depress the brake.

To fully stop using cruise control after disengaging cruise control, press the Cruise button again.

Originally Posted by ManasN95

15) Have heard the ORVMs are India friendly, but haven't tried that yet, due to obvious fears; a nicety to have nonetheless.

They fold backwards when pushed by any other passing vehicle.


Cheers, and wishing you many miles of smiles!

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Sorry if I have missed it, but which automatic gearbox (TC OR CVT) is this generation of the city paired with ?

This generation of the City is paired with the TC gearbox.

[eyeman]

Congratulations ManasN95 on the "new" car. Really looks fabulous, doesn't look like an old model at all. I don't think you paid too much for her at all, considering the almost new condition. Being a Honda, you can easily keep her for another ten years. Enjoy your ride.