me n my colleagues own/owned Honda City of 2003/05/07/08, IDSI/VTEC got pre-facelift, mid-facelift, final facelift...

on which to choose, if you a comfort driver who don speed beyond speed limit, n usually maneuver around city area, IDSI is preferred over VTEC
although IDSI has 8 spark plugs, its spec not requiring high grade 1 (becoz it targets nice driver ), VTEC will usually recommends for Iridium, more costly

If you ask CVT issue, mine is 2008, maintained on schedule(or shorter interval), my CVT still hit by issue and i replaced earlier...
the truth is u need to able to adapt to behavior of CVT, and drive as it is a CVT, not a conventional AT. don too harsh to it

u may experience a kind of disengage/lost in engage when u shift from N to D, and about to start moving by accelerating, floor is not necessary, juz get it moving will do...even by slowly pressing...
if it is already got issue, u can sense it...lol

so if u r not a "racer" type driver, i would recommend to go with a newer IDSI which is owned by "casual" driver...best if is a local region and not always outstation type 1...(see from the mileage)

in case u worry of repair CVT later....recon/used part can be find at around 2k-5k, depends where u get, n i heard there is workshop who know fix it...
Go MYTEAMCITY to find out more about the car

more than, not less than
halfcut, new as said by above...Honda will quote you a bomb...
need to find workshop to help u get those halfcut to replace...
or find the workshop who know fix...i keep one contact for tat (was told tat 1 can fix)...but never went before yet...