Buying a Honda City 2001

[Sandesh]

Dear Friends,

I am planning to buy a Honda City 2001  model car. What are the known issues with the car.

Kindly mention any. 

 

Many Thanks

[Kingston777]

City 2001 is a nice car.. I used one for 3 years. I can tell you my experience only.

This Comes in 2 varieties - Japan & Thailand. Japan means usually these are imported from Singapore (This country of import clause only can be seen in 1st owner's book, once u register it, the new book only states its Made in Japan). KA - KD are the most common numbers on Japan mades. Thailand mades are brand new imports, thus go by H-J numbers. This stopped production in 2002 so if you can find a 2002 thats great.

This has VVTi gear box and the AUTO gear model does not exceed 10km/pl in city running. Manual model, however, ppl say it does even 16 km/pl (which I doubt). All 4 disk brakes so good braking can be expected. Sometimes breaking has to do a bit harshly to apply.

Engine wont give you any trouble if it has been carefully used. Any car that doesn't exceed 100K millage by now is susceptible for Odo reversal so be careful (Check Green certificate and oil change bills for this). If not used Honda gearbox oil, or if gearbox has a problem there can be HUM noises (Whistle like noise) that reduces after 44Kmph speed.

Other than that this has suspension problems, caliper worn outs, bush, Rack issues... But a nice to drive car..

[iRage]

15 hours ago, Kingston777 said:

City 2001 is a nice car.. I used one for 3 years. I can tell you my experience only.

This Comes in 2 varieties - Japan & Thailand. Japan means usually these are imported from Singapore (This country of import clause only can be seen in 1st owner's book, once u register it, the new book only states its Made in Japan). KA - KD are the most common numbers on Japan mades. Thailand mades are brand new imports, thus go by H-J numbers. This stopped production in 2002 so if you can find a 2002 thats great.

This has VVTi gear box and the AUTO gear model does not exceed 10km/pl in city running. Manual model, however, ppl say it does even 16 km/pl (which I doubt). All 4 disk brakes so good braking can be expected. Sometimes breaking has to do a bit harshly to apply.

Engine wont give you any trouble if it has been carefully used. Any car that doesn't exceed 100K millage by now is susceptible for Odo reversal so be careful (Check Green certificate and oil change bills for this). If not used Honda gearbox oil, or if gearbox has a problem there can be HUM noises (Whistle like noise) that reduces after 44Kmph speed.

Other than that this has suspension problems, caliper worn outs, bush, Rack issues... But a nice to drive car..

Absolutely not...the last time a City was manufactured in Japan was in 1994. The 3A series City was manufactured in Thailand (and then slowly produced in Indonesia, Philippines and a few other countries.) It was never sold in Japan because it was a budget sedan based on the EK Civic and Japan already had the Civic and Domani. The next generation GA series was also manufactured in Thailand. It was sold in Japan as the Fit Aria but still it was manufactured in Thailand. The the current City is also manufactured in Thailand. At the beginning it was imported from Thailand to Japan to be sold as the Grace. But after a few years production of the Grace for the JDM market was moved to Japan.

So yeah...there is no such thin called a Japan model and Thailand model. It is just things people conjure up, especially by car sales trying to make a few extra bucks.

The 3a City in SL are either brand new imports from the agent or used/grey imports from Singapore.

The brand new models say Made in Thailand in the book because the agents give the RMV clear information stating where the car was manufactured, shipped from, etc... 

With grey imports the book will say all kinds of crap on where the car is from because the RMV people have no idea. The shipping documents would say it is from Singapore so they make entries saying it originated from Singapore. Then when they try to figure out where it is manufactured they might put anything from Singapore because of country of Origin without realizing that Singapore doesn't build cars) or Japan (because Honda is Japanese so every Honda has to be made in Japan)

That on earth is a VVTi gearbox ?

The car comes with a few engine choices depending on the market and that includes a 1.5K VTEC engine towards the end of the model's lifespan.

[Kingston777]

Well well well.... Thanks for sorting out the "JAPAN" clause.. I was even thinking where the hell it came from..

And yes.. it was a Typo for VVTi... the back of the car, clearly displays "VTEC".. To hell wit, how did I even miss Honda is VTEC.. Jeez..