Honda Problems

YOU should follow the recommendation of whichever comes first. If you drive the average number of kilometres, then the odometer reading will most probably come first, so follow that. But if you don't do many kilometres, then you might reach the time limit before the kilometres come up. In that case follow the time schedule. But it's always a case of whichever comes first.

MY CHOICE would be the X-Trail, but there's not a lot to choose between the two. I would expect a dealer would offer you about $6000 on a trade-in for your Vectra assuming its in good sound condition. The kilometres are about average, so it seems like a car in the sort of condition you would expect for its age.

I WOULD be asking the dealer to demonstrate how they were able to get 7.2 litres for 100km from your car. Not only that, I would be furious if my dealer drove my car almost 4000km while in their care. It's outrageous and I would take it up with the dealer principal directly -- and with Honda if you don't get a reasonable response. Consider changing to another dealer as well.

I FEEL dealers are being mischievous in telling customers that they will get these fuel consumption numbers. The explanation given to you about them being achieved on a specific test cycle is correct. It's also correct that they should be used for comparison purposes. All manufacturers test to the same procedure and get results that are comparable so you can use them to compare one make to another, or one model to another. On top of that there are many factors that affect fuel consumption, so it's hard to pin down the actual fuel consumption you could expect in your situation. If you're unhappy with the Honda, contact the company direct and express your displeasure.

The trade would pay about $7000 at auction. You'd get about $7500 if you traded it in on a new car, and the dealer would retail it for about $10,500 with the usual taxes paid and with a warranty. You could aim for a similar figure, but you might find you'll be bartered down to between $8000 and $9000.

HONDA claims the Accord VTi-L should do low nines for fuel consumption, which is in line with what I would expect.

MORE and more carmakers are trimming their spares to save weight and, it must be said, cut costs. Space-saver spares have been around for more than 20 years and work well, despite the limited speed at which they are supposed to be used. The inflation foams, from our experience, are OK. Runflat tyres are surprisingly tough and, from my experience of driving 100km on a puncture last year, work well. The real problem in Australia is getting a replacement tyre in a remote location. Anyone contemplating a long trip should take a full-sized spare.

THE only value is for comparison purposes. Because all cars are tested to the same standard, the figures mean you can compare one model with the previous one to see if it has been improved, or one make to another to see which is the more fuel-efficient. In real life, fuel consumption varies depending on driving style, traffic density, tyre pressures and the number of passengers you carry. Even so, I would expect you to be able to get within 10 per cent of the figure claimed.

WE WOULD urge Mr Davidson to take up Honda's invitation and phone the company's head office in Melbourne. With good will on both sides, it should be possible to resolve the issue.

ACCORDING to www.howsafeis yourcar.com.au, the 2006 Civic has 4/5 stars -- quite a high rating.