Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options

Honda Fit Care - Interior & Exterior

13»

Comments

  • Options
    somdamonsomdamon Member Posts: 4
    I use Blue Coral Dri-Clean Plus Upholstery Cleaner - excellent results! I also use it for carpet and furniture stains in my home. I find it in auto part/supply stores like Pep Boys, Autozone, etc.
  • Options
    fit4life1fit4life1 Member Posts: 14
    I just made my second fit car payment. I've waxed it once so far. I generally don't use a rub on wax like turtle wax. I've had too many dark trims turn whitish because of the wax. So, now I use rain X wash and wax. It works great. It basically waxes while u wash. My fit is black and can use all the advantages I can give it. I also use rain X on my windows and rain X anti fogging stuff on the inside windows. I guess you can say I'm a rain X nut.
  • Options
    fitisgofitisgo Member Posts: 40
    I have an 08 Fit Sport in Milano Red, bought new Mar 08, about 5,000 miles on it. The paint is non-metallic (most of the 08 Fit colors are metallic) and I'm having a real problem trying to find a wax that works well. I've tried Maguire's, Turtle Wax (liquid & paste), Nu-Finish 2000, and even the Honda OEM spray polish/wax. They all leave haze/residue and don't buff off shiny/clean. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what brand/type of wax have you used that worked well?
  • Options
    fitisgofitisgo Member Posts: 40
    I have three 08 Fit Sport Automatics and have not experienced these problems. If you are considering getting a different car, look at the 2007 Ford Focus ZX4 SES. My wife had one for about a year until I sold it (per her request) so she could get a Fit like the ones my son and I drive. The Focus was a great car, except gas mileage would not be as high as the Fit. The manual transmission Focus would probably get you in the high 20s, the automatic version the low to mid 20s (real-world fuel economy.

    There is a huge demand and practically no supply for used Fits right now, so if you are considering selling, now is the time to do it (before the new 09 model is available).
  • Options
    gr8poobahgr8poobah Member Posts: 7
    fitisgo: You might find this useful.

    July 2006

    CAR WAXES FROM BLACK MAGIC, TURTLE WAX ARE RATED BEST OVERALL IN CONSUMER REPORTS TESTS
    Inexpensive products outperform some more costly brands in CR’s tests

    July 2006 Issue

    YONKERS, NY — Consumer Reports tested more than two dozen liquid, paste, and spray car waxes for the July issue and found two products, from Black Magic and Turtle Wax, that outperformed all the others.

    Black Magic Wet Shine Liquid Wax and Turtle Wax Carnauba Car Wax T-6 tied with “Excellent” overall scores. Both products, which sell nationally for around $7 apiece, were also named as CR Best Buys because of their combination of performance and comparatively low cost.

    A total of 28 different brands of car wax were tested, including 16 liquid waxes, five pastes, and seven spray-on, wipe-off products. The waxes ranged in price from about $5 to $32.

    Full tests and ratings of the car waxes appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale June 6. The complete report is also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org .

    Consumer Reports found that the liquid waxes generally provide the best combination of cleaning and protection. But contrary to conventional wisdom, they required more effort than paste waxes to apply and remove. As a group, liquids were the hardest to apply evenly, and they took the most time to buff out.

    In addition, some left a powdery residue that had to be wiped off. Even the top-rated Black Magic Liquid Wet Shine Liquid Wax (BM48016) required an extra bit of buffing to eliminate any streaking. And CR’s other best all-around choice, the Turtle Wax Carnauba Car Wax T-6, can cause slight scratching or hazing on newer dark-colored finishes.

    Consumer Reports’ tests found that pricier waxes favored by auto enthusiasts do not necessarily work better than some less-expensive brands. The two top performers cost just $7, while a product selling for $32, P21S Concours-Look Carnauba Wax, ranked no better than mid-pack.

    Among the four paste waxes tested, the Nu Finish NFP-80 ($8) outscored its competitors with a “Very Good” score. Eagle One Wax-As-You-Dry ($6) and Turtle Wax 1 Step Wax & Dry T-9 ($6), tied as the best spray products with “Good” scores. Turtle Wax Platinum Series Ultra Gloss T-413R came in just behind the two top-rated sprays.

    How to Select the Right Car Wax

    In its tests, Consumer Reports found that:

    Liquid waxes are good for cleaning, gloss, and durability. But they can be more difficult to apply evenly and buff out. Most dry to a haze within about a minute, but this varies with wind, sunlight, and thickness of application.
    Paste waxes are good for ease of application. But overall performance is not as good as with liquids, and it can be difficult to remove wax from the container as you near the bottom. Paste waxes usually dry to a haze within 30 seconds.
    Spray waxes are good for new cars with excellent finishes since new paint is still shiny and shouldn’t be oxidized. They are also good for consumers looking for convenience, plastic compatibility, and spot waxing. They are quick to apply and many can be wiped off without drying. But they are not as good for cleaning and are the worst for durability.
    How CR tested car waxes

    Overall scores for the waxes are based primarily on gloss; durability; ease of use; cleaning; resistance to scratching, swirls and hazing; and plastic compatibility.

    Consumer Reports tested using sample panels uniformly finished with white or black automotive paint, both with and without clear coat. Some were left to weather for 12 months on the roof of CR’s National Test Center in Yonkers, NY and others were put into a device that simulates extreme weather conditions. The panels were brought into a lab weekly, where technicians washed and dried them, and applied drops of water to measure beading effect. How well a wax causes water to bead, or repel water, is one way to determine whether wax still provides protection from acid rain and contaminants. To test for ease of use and how well products worked to clean and improve gloss on fading paint, CR used real vehicles, some of which had rarely or never been waxed.

    To assess gloss, CR did side-by-side visual comparisons. For durability, CR tracked how water beaded to show how quickly the wax wore away. Cleaning and scratching/hazing tests also relied on side-by-side visual comparisons. For ease of use, CR used cars owned by staffers.
  • Options
    fitisgofitisgo Member Posts: 40
    Thanks for posting this info. Actually, I subscribe to CR and used this article as a source a few months ago when I bought the Meguire's Black Magic and 2 different kindsof Turtle Wax - those are the ones I've tried and did not work well on my Fits. Yesterday I tried the Honda brand spray polish/wax and that was the worst, had to go to a self-service car wash and get it off. We do have some winter weather here and was hoping to do a good wax job on all 3 of the Fits before any cold/snow/ice.

    I saw the post from the person who is using Rain-X wash & wax and may try that, but it sounds like it may be more of a polish-type finish that would need to be repeated every 1-2 months. I usually do a good wax job on my vehicles in spring and summer, so would like to find a product that lasts 6 months before re-application is necessary. I also have an 03 Civic and an 03 CR-V and have used the Nu-Finish 2000 liquid wax on them the last 5 years with no problems, that's why I'm wondering if the Fits are being made with a different type of paint that may require a particular kind of wax to get good results. Am hoping to see more posts from people who've tried various products and will share their experiences. I think I'll also call the 4 Honda dealers around here (Nebraska) and ask them what product(s) they are using when they prep new cars for delivery to customers.
  • Options
    backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The wax I've had consistently good results with over the years is Meguiar's Gold Class liquid. It works especially well on dark metallic colors, but I've used it on a variety of colors and it always looks good. It seems to be "slicker" than a carnuba finish.

    Re needing the wax to last six months... how long does it take to wax a Fit, about 15 minutes? ;) I haven't found a wax yet that really holds up for six months; I've found that 4 months is about the limit. But that's only one more wax a year. And I actually enjoy waxing my cars. :)
  • Options
    fitisgofitisgo Member Posts: 40
    Backy:

    I will look for the Meguiar's Gold Class liquid wax to see if it is available locally and, if so, give it a try.

    Yes, the Fits can be waxed quickly since they're so small and I don't mind doing the work to wax them, but I don't want to have to do this frequently. In the past 10-12 years I've used Nu-Finish 2000 liquid (in the orange plastic bottle) a lot, on a variety of vehicles including Hondas and a few Fords, and it does actually last about 6 months. I keep the vehicles garaged and out of the weather which makes a big difference from a car that is parked outside 24/7. Also the weather here in the Midwest is not as hostile or hard on cars as many other parts of the country.
  • Options
    patrick95patrick95 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Fit Sport AT and I have a wonderful way to keep your exterior and interior gleaming. I use a product called ProtectAll which was originally formulated for RV's but works well on just about anything. It is a creamy liquid which you can put in just about any pump spray bottle for application. ProtectAll contains carnauba wax and U.V. protectants. Many car show enthusiasts use this product to spruce up their finishes at showtime. I use a microfiber cloth and quickly rub down my whole car after each wash. It takes about 8-10 minutes and the results are astounding! It helps on the front especially since bugs cannot stick as well. It can also be used on interior plastics and trim. ProtectAll is available at www.campingworld.com and several other retailers. Great product!! Hope this helps
  • Options
    brianflysbrianflys Member Posts: 8
    Hi gang,
    I've used Dash Toppers on most of my prior vehicles to protect the top of the dash from discoloration and cracking in the sun. Fabric holds its color and dash top stays like new (although hidden from view). With the Fit's expansive dashboard top and greenhouse windshield, it seems like this would be a good idea. However, I don't see these dash toppers used much on recent cars.

    Anyone using them (they don't have the '09 Fit yet, but say they will in a couple of weeks)?

    If not, what are you using to protect your dash top from fading and cracking?
  • Options
    cate2008cate2008 Member Posts: 1
    I just hit a cement curb and scraped a foot long scrap along the side bottom edge of the car (which I guess is PLASTIC???, I can't tell what it is made of) and gouged the metal :cry: wheel. I have a silver 2008 honda fit. Any advice as to how I can fix this expecially the wheel which I think is alloy but can't remember. Thanks for any help.
This discussion has been closed.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles