misnad

I suggest not disconnecting the battery, but instead just starting up the car every two days for about 10min with the AC running so the belts get some use after transport. First thing you should do though is get it washed thoroughly including the undercarriage and engine bay area since it will be full of salt from the harbor. Give it a good layering of sealant rather than ordinary wax (Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax at Acme Auto down Narahenpita does this well). Once you pump up the vehicle tires, ensure you also initialize the deflation warning system. Don’t let any rain drops or water remain on the car and if it does get wet like that, get someone to wipe it off before water spots appear especially on the glass and polished plastic trims. They’re a mess to remove once they bake in. If you’re considering covering it with a car cover, be sure it is loose enough as you will surely scratch the car with all that collected dust when removing it each time.

Two different classes of car with a steep price difference. If you’re ok with a smaller size and are just confused about the engine capacity being the same as in the Civic, just pick the A1. Don’t assume the smaller size of the A1 will make it quicker than the Civic; it doesn’t and is slower. If you want better road grip, get the Civic as it hugs the ground well. That said, it is a wider body with 17” wheels so your turning radius will increase. If you start factoring in longevity and road-grip plus if you’re willing to dish out the extra cash, pick the Civic. Obviously if you add comfort, maintenance cost and features into the mix, you’re going to lean further towards the Civic. I had a hard time myself choosing between a Q2 and the Civic. Ended up getting the latter with the Tech pack add-on. Oh and by the way, I did hear that DriveOne doesn’t bring down spares for the A1 so god help you if you’re in need of some tiny sensor or whatever’s replacement should it occur sometime down the line.

If I’m not mistaken, you can get the Osrams at the agents for Mercedes here in SL. They have a Lighting Division. However, I prefer the durability of the Philips XtremeVision kits. Got mine from PowerBulbs online. You won’t regret it.

Yup.. I’ve got that too and was told it’s normal. Sometimes I get squealing sounds too. Best bet is to get the brake system cleaned up properly as there can be a lot of brake dust collecting.

Thought of this however knowing how quickly I will probably end up with scratches and require a repaint on some of the surfaces (someone already lightly scratched my door at the car park), the Ceramic coating is more of a hassle really. It is a pain to remove in case the panel needs repainting and cannot be simply sanded off. Thought I’d just go with a good sealant and proper carnauba wax instead. Still keeping my options open though.

If you're really keen on this, don't buy the rubbish available locally. Get yours from PowerBulbs online as they have better kits. I used these conversion kits in the past with my Axio (I now drive a Civic 2018 with stock LED's) and the light wouldn't focus properly. The light throw was too short and despite being able to see the surrounding areas clearer, driving in the rain and on long roads is a nightmare. Also, it annoyed many oncoming drivers and I was flashed several times. Then again, that was a reflector housing and yours is a projector lens so maybe it will work better, however I have seen many videos online complaining of this same problem even with projectors. My suggestion is to maybe go for a whiter halogen bulb like the Philips XtremeVision (has the same stock Wattage, so it won't require re-wiring), which is way whiter than the stock - I used these on my Axio and it was a significant difference with better and further visibility.

It's been about 3 weeks since I received my 2018 Civic EX (Tech package) from the UK. Paid a bit of a premium for it at 7mn total, however I was keen on the Tech Pack upgrade as I detested the standard Halogen headlights that came with the normal EX. My typical route is from Dehiwala to Dematagoda through Elvitigala Mw into Baseline Road and sometimes via Thimbirigasyaya. I go to work at 8am (horrible traffic) and get back after 7pm (moderate traffic). Fuel consumption: Started at 12L/100km on average and is now hovering around 11L/100km with daily city driving. I've got one of the trip gauges to reset with each power off and can see my daytime commute averages around 14L/100km while the night travel comes in around 8L/100km. Mind you I'm still at 900km and the engine is being broken in so I'm keeping rpm's below 4000 and I have Econ mode on along with Stop/Start. As I started using it though, I set the AC to Auto with temps around 23C and 25C (dual zone). That got me an average economy of 19L/100km, which was horrible on average. So I decided to experiment and set the blower to Low with the same temperatures and kept the AC on - I immediately found the economy figures improving to around 12L/100km and stabilized at 11L/100km on average now. Comfort: Switched off the dynamic suspension system as that gave me a headache with all the bumps along my route. It's useless unless you're trying to race the car around IMO and since I'm not doing that, I've kept it turned off. There's ample leg-room in front and the rear, however the seats are quite low. Coming from an Axio 2007, it took me some getting used to, however I do enjoy the lumbar support as I have a chronic lower spine ache. The bumps are for the most part absorbed quite well and it is far quieter than the Axio. It is quite wide though so be prepared for that. I have one minor gripe about the driver's leg arrangement though: when I rest my left leg (it is a CVT transmission so I do not have to use a clutch), it rests on the center divider, which is hard plastic. As the seat is low, it causes the side of my knee to rest on this and over time, it tends to become a nuisance, requiring me to reset my left leg position. I haven't taken the car for a long drive though, so I'm not sure how much of a bother it'll be. Apart from this, it is a pleasure to drive and the seats feel amazing with lots of room to rest your arms in traffic! Oh and it does have the Auto-Braking feature so when you're in traffic, you don't need to keep your foot on the brake pedal while idle. Steering is not so light as the Axio and gives you good feedback while driving. Performance: I certainly can feel the weight of the car when driving. It is quite heavy and if you watch some of the CarWow videos, it pulls much slower than some of its rivals in the same capacity and class. Even though the turbo-lag is a little annoying, it does engage relatively well and then it just flies. I thought I'd miss my 1.5L naturally aspirated engine from the Axio, but this little 1L turbo pleasantly surprised me. I've had a few bouts of aggressive overtaking (thank you tuk-tuk and hybrid drivers!) and I'm able to do this with ease. It gets significantly better with Econ switched off, however I've turned it back on. Note that the Econ mode actually starts kicking in when you're around the mid-RPM levels and it doesn't slow down your initial pick-up from 0. The engine noise isn't as unpleasant as the Axio's and gives you a good feel, however may be a little excessive when starting off from a full stop - then again, I've learnt to ignore it. Miscellaneous: I've got a Sonic Grey car and I must say it looks dirty pretty quick even after a wash every weekend. Then again, I've got to apply the wax myself as I don't think K***nP**k did a decent enough job last time - thinking of Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax after a good claying - has anyone used this and if so, how has it been for you? If you try to clean your rear wheel wells, you'll be surprised that there is a carpet-like layer there? It seemed weird to me and was a pain to get rid of mud. The rear-view is reduced from the driver's position thanks to the spoiler on the hatch and it will take a little getting used to. There is no hard cover for the moon-roof and this causes some sunlight to sneak in while driving (not so much of a problem though). The dashboard padding is foam so I have no idea whether I'll have the same cracking problem as I did with my Axio when left in the sun over time. I'm going to keep using dashboard protectant in any case. There is no spare tire and I've been advised to buy a space-saver kit along with the jack instead of the repair kit. I have no idea if that will fit into the slot at the rear though, however this isn't a problem since the boot is cavernous! Also, when refuelling, always ensure they do not top-up when the pump cuts off if you're going for a full tank as that will mess up your gauge. Secondly, do not pull the fuel hose out until 10 seconds after the pump cuts off otherwise you'll see some fuel spilling out. The car is wider so uses 17" wheels, so you'll have a wider turning radius - I'm still getting used to this as I cannot maneuver as freely as I could with my previous car. The sensors go crazy in Colombo traffic by the way, so be warned when tuks creep in front of you - still, this has saved me from a few near misses with walls and I'm happy to leave them on (low volume though!). Conclusion: I am happy with my purchase and feel it has grown on me within this short duration. I have heard only good things about this car from my other friends apart from the initial fuel economy and am on par with that. The LED headlights are certainly worth the upgrade as they offer much better visibility and make the car look meaner. In short, even though I've posted most of the negatives (I don't like sugar-coating reviews), I just love my car and know it will serve me well in the years ahead.