2010 Civic: Maintenance Questions

Discussion in 'Civic' started by steve, Apr 28, 2010.

  1. steve

    steve Guest

    Hi;

    I just bought a new Civic. I want to care for it right.

    I plan on

    - reading the owners manual and doing the scheduled maintenance
    - getting after market all weather floor mats and seat covers for the
    front seat
    - a dust buster to vacuum up the interior

    Aside from keeping the car in the garage is there anything else I can
    do to extend the life of the car and preserve the appearance?

    I found many options via internet searches, would anyone care to
    recommend a particular all weather mat, seat cover or bumper guard?

    Thanks in advance for any information or polite opinions

    Steve
     
    steve, Apr 28, 2010
    #1
  2. steve

    Tegger Guest


    Follow the Maintenance Minder exactly, or do MORE than it tells you to.
    Especially oil changes.

    Any aftermarket seat cover that fits well is an excellent idea. Really
    extends the life of the side bolsters.

    Floor mats are a good idea as well, so long as they don't ride up and
    interfere with the gas pedal. The problem with floor mats is that they only
    protect in the middle. They cannot prevent that ring of salt you get
    /around/ the mat.
     
    Tegger, Apr 29, 2010
    #2
  3. steve

    Seth Guest


    Does the 2010 Civic have the side airbags in the seats? Keep that in mind
    when getting seat covers.
     
    Seth, Apr 29, 2010
    #3
  4. steve

    Tegger Guest


    Damn. I keep forgetting about that.

    Note to OP: Study all those big yellow WARNINGS in your
    Warning Manual -- sorry, Owner's Manual -- to see if there is a prohibition
    against seat covers.
     
    Tegger, Apr 29, 2010
    #4
  5. steve

    steve Guest

    I just called my salesman. He said the 2010 Civic LX does not have
    air bags in the seats and that I am fine to put seat covers on.

    Thanks for the heads up!
     
    steve, Apr 29, 2010
    #5
  6. steve

    Bitzer Guest

    When I bought my new '07 Accord EXL, I asked the Honda dealer car
    salesman if it had an MP3 jack. Sure, he said-- pointing to a small hole
    in a panel in the headliner just above the rear view mirror. Strange
    place for an audio jack, I thought-- but didn't follow up on it as I
    liked the car and even if it didn't, I still was going to buy the car.

    After I got it home, good thing I didn't try to push the plug in there
    too hard- Turns out it's a tiny recessed light that shines down on the
    shift lever.

    So--- are you sure you want to trust your and your family's lives to
    what a car salesman tells you?
     
    Bitzer, Apr 29, 2010
    #6
  7. steve

    steve Guest

    I called customer service at Honda. The representative couldn't tell
    me if the Civic LX had airbags in the seat. He had to look it up in
    the owners manual ( which I did last night ). The 2010 Civic LX
    does. He didn't sound sure it a seat cover was a safety issue or
    not. I called Honda back a second time and the second customer
    service person told me that Honda doesn't recommend seat covers and
    will not manufacture them themselves.

    Some seat cover manufacturers have youtube videos of the airbags
    exploding through their seat covers. Other, more expensive seat
    cover manufacturers put holes in the covers about where the air bags
    are.

    I have the impression that nobody knows for sure if seat covers are a
    safety problem or not.

    Maybe I will look for something that just goes on the part of the seat
    where I park my bottom or maybe I will establish a routine for
    cleaning the seats with some sort of upholstery cleaner.
     
    steve, Apr 30, 2010
    #7
  8. steve

    rick++ Guest

    The quandry is whether to pay more for the dealer to do PM
    or save a few bucks doing yourself or at the corner gas station.
    My dealer made the decision easier by offering "double warranty"
    period. And I had two defects repaired free then- bad EGR sensor
    and bad brushing.
     
    rick++, Apr 30, 2010
    #8
  9. steve

    rick++ Guest

    I dont know if the new Civics still have those "toy" spare tires.
    I try to get a real spare tire ASAP, at least from the
    first set of new tires. Those toy spares are only rated
    a few tens of miles and I had to 70 once in the Mohave desert
    before finding a station that could fix a flat.
     
    rick++, Apr 30, 2010
    #9
  10. steve

    Clete Guest

    Speaking of dealers, yesterday I took a relatives car in to be checked
    for her and they quoted me a price of $289 plus taxes for new front
    pads and turn the rotors down. They want her to help pay for all the
    flat screens and sumptuous furniture in the showroom/waiting area I
    guess. What a rip.
     
    Clete, Apr 30, 2010
    #10
  11. "steve" wrote

    I called customer service at Honda. The representative couldn't tell
    me if the Civic LX had airbags in the seat. He had to look it up in
    the owners manual ( which I did last night ). The 2010 Civic LX
    does.

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

    My 2004 Accord has little fabric tags, on the side of each front seat, that
    say SIDE AIRBAG. Does your Civic have them?

    I would never even think of putting anything over the seat that would
    compromise the effectiveness of the airbags.
     
    Howard Lester, Apr 30, 2010
    #11
  12. steve

    Tegger Guest


    Pads: ~$90
    Rotor turning: ~$100
    Labor: ~$100 (one hour).

    Pads will be better than anything the aftermarket can supply, and usually
    come with the proper shims.

    Rotor turning will be done on-the-car, and will be done properly, with bits
    that won't tear up the rotor surface.

    Labor is factory-trained, not some monkey who was flipping burgers the week
    before.
     
    Tegger, May 2, 2010
    #12
  13. Well, that's the problem--there's no guarantee of that.

    And even if he is factory trained, there's no guarantee that he's any
    good.

    I work in a different field, but I work in proximity with equivalent
    "factory trained techs". Most are average, some are above average, and
    some are worthless. The worthless ones cause incredibly more damage to
    customer loyalty than the above average ones can fix.

    Even the dealership I use has the worthless ones on staff. I stick with
    one guy, who's been doing it for 25 years. He works hard, and he's
    honest--unlike a few of his "colleagues". Yes, the dealership lets the
    dishonest techs run rampant, because in the end they bring in revenue
    from people who blindly trust the dealership.
     
    Elmo P. Shagnasty, May 2, 2010
    #13
  14. steve

    Tegger Guest



    That is true. Unfortunately. <sigh>

    But I still think you have a greater probability of running into a
    competent tech at a dealership than at an independent. And you're more
    likely at a dealership to get your money back, or gain some other form of
    amelioration, than at an independent, should things go pear-shaped: With a
    dealership, you can call the automaker.



    They let you specify who you want to work on your car? You're lucky.




    I'm not sure it's that. I think the incompetents stick around because their
    bosses never quite find out how they do what they do. The other techs know
    exactly who the butchers are, but are reluctant to snitch on their fellows.
     
    Tegger, May 2, 2010
    #14
  15. Damn straight.

    But then, I wouldn't go someplace that *didn't* honor my request for a
    technician. I fail to understand why they would ever deny such a
    request.

    And in fact, I sit and chat with him while he works on my car.
     
    Elmo P. Shagnasty, May 3, 2010
    #15
  16. steve

    Dddudley Guest


    HOURLY SHOP RATES

    Certified Technician $90.00
    If You Watch $110.00
    IF You Help $145.00 <g>
     
    Dddudley, May 3, 2010
    #16
  17. steve

    Dano58 Guest

    Steve, if there are airbags in the seats there will be a little tag or
    it will be embossed on the side of the seat somewhere. As far as seat
    covers, I wouldn't bother. Unless you spend a lot of money and get
    custom-fit ones specifically for your car, they will look sloppy and
    bunch up. Just get into a routine of vacuuming the seats off
    regularly. If there's a spill, get a seat cleaner or take it to a
    detailing shop.

    Dan D
    '07 Oddy EX
    Central NJ USA
     
    Dano58, May 3, 2010
    #17
  18. yeah. Fortunately, I beat those rates handily--the occasional "tip"
    ("hey, could you throw this aftermarket cabin air filter in for me" with
    a twenty taped to the filter) and pizzas for the shop now and then keep
    me on their good side.

    My place has service hours until midnight, and it's a MUCH more laid
    back crew and experience after 7pm.
     
    Elmo P. Shagnasty, May 4, 2010
    #18
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