1.6 i-DTEC EX - couple of questions please

[Dingle]

Hi

I previously had a 2.2 I-DTEC Ex prior to buying my current car (Volvo XC60 D5) and am potentially looking at coming back to Honda in the guise of an 18 plate 1.6 I-DTEC EX. I have a couple of general questions if you folks would be kind enough to help:

1 - I haven't yet driven a 1.6 so how do they compare performance wise to the 2.2?

2 - Any particular issues that I need to look for in the car?

3 - It has the Garmin Sat Nav - are the maps user upgradeable or dealer only?

4 - Can I install Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Any other pointers would be most welcome. Thank you.

[Trevor]

I would say the 1.6 is quite underpowered compared to the rather punchy 2.2.
However, it depends what you are planning to use it for, eg. long motorway drives or around town.

It therefore would not be an issue to have the 1.6 for town use as it is sufficient to drive in urban areas without breaking too much of a sweat.

No issues as far as I am aware to look out for.

Not sure about the Garmin but the previous SatNav i know was dealer only but not too expensive (£200) and not sure about Apple CarPlay, sorry!

[Dingle]

Thanks.

 

I picked the car up today and had 185 miles to drive home so I was pretty familiar with it by the time I got back.  I am very pleased with it and found it to be a great improvement on the 2.2 I had previously.  I never managed to get consistently above 40 mpg in that one whereas today I clocked 55 mpg on the way home. I didn't find it at all underpowered but would accept that it's no ball of fire either.  Just a very pleasant, quiet drive.

 

I managed to suss out that I can't install CarPlay or Android Auto but I have already downloaded the up to date Garmin map for the nav this evening and will let that install on my next long journey on Wednesday so I should be pretty much up to date.  

[Trevor]

Great result all round and pleased that you are happy with the performance, which seems to be an issue with those who want to light up the tyres or race away from the lights.

My only aspiration nowadays is to achieve a higher MPG figure and if that means driving conservatively then so be it....I have a motorbike for when I need to get my speed chills 🙂

 

Let us know how accurate the updated Garmin works

[Dingle]

Agree - I did another 100 or so mile journey yesterday up to the Lake District with the car fully loaded.  With keeping to legal speed limits and cruise on I achieved 52mpg - that's impressive for such a big car.  I had forgotten just how utterly practical a car the CRV is and have absolutely no regrets about changing into one again.

 

The only slight thing I am bothered about is the dealer saying that they have carried out its first service before I bought it.  The oil 'looks' clean but was black pretty quickly.  I am planning to keep the car for some considerable time so am debating whether it makes sense to remove the doubt and pay a dealer to carry out the service for sure?

[Trevor]

I suppose if the oil was clean when you got it then it blackened up through carbon (soot) in the engine.
Could recommend a better quality fuel to eliminate the doubt and also change the oil more frequently then no problem with the longevity of the engine.

[Dingle]

It was clean 'ish' given that the service had reputedly only just been done and that's what aroused my suspicions. The dealer has thus far declined my requests for a bill of work/service schedule detailing what was done and not done and didn't even stamp the service book - it was just filled in with the mileage and date.

 

A local independent dealer has quoted me £90 for an oil and filter change.  To get the first service done at a Honda dealer and have the documentation to go with it is £245.

 

 

[Trevor]

That's really bad if they claim they carried out a service and did not.....I would therefore go to an independent garage from now on, who will in fact do the same job and a sight cheaper as well

[Dingle]

That's the dilemma Trevor as I have no way of disputing that they have not done it. It's always hard to tell on diesels as the oil blackens up quite quickly. 

 

Even though it looked like it had been changed you could argue it hasn't as the oil was blacker than it should have been after moving the car 50 yards from the workshop to the car park. They could have just sucked a litre out and topped it up to give it the appearance of being clean. Conversely, they may have changed it. 

 

I have no way of knowing. 

[Trevor]

I would therefore change it more frequently just in case it has had been missed over time

[Dingle]

That’s the plan.  I have just bought one of the oil extractor pumps which should be fine for interim changes and the oil filter is the old cartridge screw in type which is easy to change.  The location of it is great too as I can actually just put the front wheels on full lock and can access it without jacking the car up.  That makes it easy for me to do my own oil changes every 6000 miles - at least then I know it’s been done.

 

Car is great otherwise apart from a few annoying internal rattles which I have not managed to locate as yet.