Honda Fit

fitluver

The other car was a Mercury. I was stopped, yielding to traffic,as per regulations. He was going about 10 miles per hour. (Yes, this was a minor one). However, pens were flying out of slots so there was a little speed there. My son is 9 and he was belted in. He definitiely felt the impact, though he was not injured. Airbags did not deploy.

Glad to hear it. And...dont you know you are supposed to secure your cargo when you drive? Pens and all? jk

The Mercury, seasoned beater that it was, looked none the worse for wear. The nice thing was, that the other driver immediately assumed all responsibility. I have been rear ended before, at a pedestrian cross walk, and the woman that hit me, gave me the gears for stopping so suddenly at such a location!

Bah....last I heard, unless your brake lights werent working, the person in the back is ALWAYS responsible in rearending accidents. I woulda told that woman where to get off.

If you get chance later, keep us posted and let us know your experiences with the repair process (ie how long you have to wait for parts, how good a job the dealer or whoever does with it, costs etc.)

Thanks for the info and be careful out there.

jacksan1

It could fill the large gap between the Fit and the Odyssey.

I do agree that there is a gap between the two. If Honda plans to bring a van in between, it would probably be the JDM Odyssey, not the Stream. The JDM Odyssey, as some of you know, is basically a slightly bigger version of the Stream, and looks and drives not at all like the NA Odyssey, which is known by the name of "LaGreat" in Japan (and hardly ever sells there).

aladdinsane

I'm considering the purchase of either a Toyota Yaris Liftback or a Honda Fit Sport in the very near future.
I'm wondering if anyone in the know out there has any idea if, upon going with the Fit Sport model, I can have either the Honda dealer, or somewhere aftermarket, install a power sunroof WITHOUT voiding the original warranty. Please excuse my ignorance with this. :confuse: I'd sure appreciate any valid 4-1-1. . .

Many thanx-

Peace!

moparbad

Webasto

sd_driver

I drove up to 5200 feet from sea level this morning. Stopped for about half an hour. When I started the Fit again a warning began flashing: Check Fuel Cap.

I tuned off the engine and checked. Nothing wrong. I started it again. CHECK FUEL CAP.

Cripes. My guess is the change in pressure from sea level to 5200 feet affected the gas tank--I started full.

I opened and closed the tank cap. The message still comes on as soon as I start the Fit. I have to cycle through the info to get it off the display.

Later I checked the manual. It says that the Check Fuel Cap warning will keep coming on SEVERAL DAYS even after the problem is solved. So there's no way to get rid of it until the computer decides to get rid of it.

Yes, it's a small annoyance, but it's there, now, every time I start the Fit.

And, in the future, will I have to deal with this any time I take a trip with a large elevation change?

I'm calling the dealer tomorrow.

Sometimes I hate computers.

Thanks for letting me rant.

boatfloyd

Tighten gas cap slowly after filling tank and turn it around one time .
boatfloyd

aph11

Hello--
I am thinking about buying a Fit to replace my 97 Prelude, as my wife and I are expecting a baby in December. Does anyone have experience with a rear facing infant seat in a Fit? Does it fit?

Are the "LATCH" attachments positioned so that the seat can go in the middle?

We drove a Fit for the first time today and loved it...

Thanks for any help!

vcarreras

I for one would love to see the Stream/Latitude or the Toyota Wish. I own a FIT which both my wife and I love but for long trips it's just a bit small. We just tried out the 07 CR-V but want to wait until the diesel appears. Dealer stated first mid 08 but then changed that to 09 when I said I could wait. We traded our 05 Ody EX for the FIT Sport because it was too big, the CR-V would fit but would rather have a Stream or WISH. We would replace a 95 Accord EX with 118K not the FIT.

bobw3

Did you look at the Mazda5?

aladdinsane

The Mazda5 would be a perfect alternative to the Fit, but for one thing: it lacks electronic stability control.
For some of us living in the snow belt such a thing as ESC is a must.
Of course I speak for myself on this-

Peace!

bobw3

Do you have ESC on your current car?

bodble2

I agree. ESC and a 5-speed auto are the 2 most obvious omissions on the Mazda5. I'd also bet that they will be added before the current model cycle is over.

micweb

You absolutely, positively have to take your rear facing seat to a dealer and try it out, with both front seats in your actual anticipated seating position and rake. We had the same issue and even with a PT Cruiser, which has enormous rear seat leg room, we could barely fit a rear facing child seat behind the driver's seat - and I'm very short!

In other words, you won't believe how much space rear facing baby seats take up until you try it. The front facing seats work fine in virtually any car.

dewaltdakota

Well y'all, we've gone full circle in six months (from no Fit, to one Fit, to having a second one on order, to cancelling the second order, and now to selling the first Fit).

As much as I love the versatility of the Fit's rear seating configuration options, my mileage, and the ease of parking, I just can't find a comfortable seating arrangement to drive it for any real period of time. I have a bad back, and arthritis in my joints ... and the Fit just fits me wrong. I've tried making it work, but I just can't tolerate the physical side of it, any longer.

I'm not looking to make money off of selling it... but would like to minimize my losses.

backy

That's really unfortunate. But fortunately, the Fit is in high demand so you should be able to get a very good price in a private sale. You might use an Internet selling service that has broad distribution, so that buyers in areas where dealers are marking up the new cars can see it. With any luck, you'll get close to what you paid for it (before taxes and fees), if it's in like-new condition.

dewaltdakota

It's definitely in like-new condition. They'll also get most of the available OEM Honda accessories for free, along with professional window tinting.

It'll be nothing, if not interesting...

plekto

I also have a bad back and the truth is that you'll have to move to a bigger more "old person's" car. Now, that said, a Buick LeSabre/Lacrosse or simmilar - every car maker makes bigger "boats" - gets about 28-29mpg highway and is smooth and easy on your aching back.

Used - you can always get a nice Mercedes, Lexus, or simmilar as well. A little C-Class has super comfy seats as well. Audi also has nice seats that don't hurt you.

What got me thinking this way was I also love the Fit, but darn it if the GM dealer doesn't have a 2005 Park Avenue with everything on it for $16K. Yeah, it's big, but sitting it it's super-nice on my tired back.

I'll probably "settle" for something like a C230K or a IS300, though.

toronado455

I'll probably "settle" for something like a C230K or a IS300, though.

The Lexus IS300 has a firm ride so you probably won't want one of those.

getnfittywidit

Oh, Man! I'm so sorry to hear that dewalt. Please let me know what you want for it. I have a sister who may be interested. You can write me at my Comcast address.

plekto

The IS300's seats were fine - it's the shape and the design that makes the difference. But the cloth covered no padding "something to sit on" mantra that seems to be overtaking interiors lately is NG for people with bad backs.

I've sat in 40 year old cars(not mine - lol) that have fantastic seats. I've sat in other cars that the seats are horrible.

That said, I do recommend you find something with electronic steering if possible, like an Accord. Having it transmit zero vibration through the wheel back to you is the real back-saver. On my Mercedes, for instance, it's old-school rack and pinion steering and the wheel is contrantly sending these barely perceptable vibrations and movements up my arms and into my shoulders. So after a few months, it tends to work things loose as vibrations are wont to do. So I spend 3-4 days on my back recovering.

Of course, if the car rattles and bounces excessively or the seats are like church pews, then of course, the same thing happens due to you having to hold into the wheel tighter. Or you could have Ford seats and there be no lower back support - and long trips getting to you.

Best seats, btw, had to be in an older Saab. Those Swedes sure know how to make fantastic seats.

nippononly

you could probably sell it back to the dealer you bought it from. If they are still in waiting list status (as most dealers are) they will probably give you at least as much as a private sale would provide, and will be anxious to get their hands on it.

dudleyr

Actually trading to an Accord would probably be much more comfortable (telescopic steering and better seating position) and would not use much more gas - is any. My brother gets 40 mpg in his Accord on the highway and about 36 on his commute. That is with a stick shift though.

No need to give up efficiency for size.

In fact the Civic gets better highway mpg than the Fit and has a better seating position - but much less room than an Accord.

backy

... they will probably give you at least as much as a private sale would provide...

I doubt it. The dealer will need to add profit. However, if the new car is bought in a state that calculates sales tax after the price of a trade-in is subtracted, the net could be very close to a private-party sale--and no hassle.

bodble2

I'd bet they won't! Not matter what the market condition, dealers won't move much above wholesale on a trade, or if they buy from you. And if course, they'd have a gazillion reasons to support their position. :mad:

tjw1308

"And if course, they'd have a gazillion reasons to support their position. :mad: "

The biggest reason being they could just buy the car at auction for that (wholesale or less)... So why would they want to pay someone else more? It is a business, not the Red-Cross :P

I will say, from an insiders perspective, if you spend $50 or so at your local car wash having the car detailed (at least a little) you will get a lot CLOSER to wholesale than if you bring it in reeking of cigarette smoke, littered, and covered in bird poo (you'd be amazed at how many people think it really doesn't make a difference lol).

If you really want to know ACV (Actual Cash Value) for your trade, I'd reccomend calling a few dealers that sell your model and asking their used car managers what they would BUY it for from you.

Please don't kid yourself into believing Kelley or other sources (even our beloved Edmunds) are overly accurate. They are guides, and as such, don't have a button you can click to sell them your car. If they did, they'd be a lot more realistic ...

As for dealers adding in profit, realize that we live in an age where wholesale isn't a mystery anymore. So what does everyone want to pay? Wholesale. It makes it tough, but it also makes it hard to put more than wholesale into a trade. I don't blame people, but please stop imagining we're making a killing The real money is made in service and reconditioning...

For the Fit however, it may be even tougher to get a "fair" trade value, simply because of demand and lack of mark-up in the car itself. It backs dealers into a corner where they can't OA (over-allow) on your trade to make you happy, because there isn't any shell game to play with the $$$ (big rebate dealers play that game all the time).

Hope that helps. In the end, it all depends on how much hassle you are willing to put yourself through, instead of trading it in. But for Pete's sake, if you do trade it in, clean it up a little !

T

ramo

My Fit is in the shop for a bumper replacement, so I have a rental Yaris. The Fit dash, ride, sound system, space and design are truly superior. If the Fit seats were as comfortable, and the windows were manually operated, the Fit would be improved, but not by a heck of a lot. I won't be getting a Yaris in the near future, as appealing as it is.

tjw1308

I pretty much agree (despite owning a Yaris).

The Fit is a great value, no doubt about it. I might be driving one had dealers not been getting 2k$ addendums on them when I went to look. That and the wait time for a manual tranny haha...

All in all I'm very happy with my Yaris though, and it was only $12,500 for the manual liftback. I don't need a lot of fluff, so it was a tremendous value.

I don't think you can go wrong with either car though, as they both have their advantages

What kind of real world gas mileage have you been getting?

T

bodble2

Oh, I agree a "clean" car makes a difference at trade-in. My dealer will offer, sight unseen, to buy my car at a premium over Kelley, Red book, etc. simply because they know my cars are clean.

ramo

About 33 mpg, so nothing stellar. I bet you get better in the Yaris. That was my runner up, but we really needed the extra room. You did great with your price, and hey, in the subcompact market, price matters. Oh, the other thing I will say for the Yaris, is the good range of colours. I wonder however, whether consumer surveys panned yellow, since Yaris and the Fit do not come in yellow. Should I have bought a Golf or Rabbit?
One more thing about the Yaris. It is nice floor mats. I bought mine at Canadian tire since the Fit mats were too much.

bodble2

Yellow = lemon! :lemon:

tjw1308

Yellow would look MUCH better on the Fit than the Yaris.

I have a Blazing Blue Yaris and I can't imagine how ridiculous it would look in yellow or orange (which the Fit actually looks decent in).

And 33MPG is stellar in general . I'm only doing about 5 better, but really, once you pass 30MPG (and still enjoy driving), everyone wins!

T

toronado455

My Fit is in the shop for a bumper replacement, so I have a rental Yaris. The Fit dash, ride, sound system, space and design are truly superior. If the Fit seats were as comfortable, and the windows were manually operated, the Fit would be improved, but not by a heck of a lot. I won't be getting a Yaris in the near future, as appealing as it is.

Two questions:
Why do you say the ride is better in the Fit?
Why would you prefer to have crank windows?

lightfootfl

Some people don't like them yet, but try out the Hyundai Sonata LX for the back,etc. I love mine.

dewaltdakota

Acutally, I just picked up a 2007 Honda CR-V 4WD EX-L from a local dealership. Very, VERY nice vehicle, and good on the back for me.

I will miss the Fit, given the long wait to get it, but I think the recovery time will be quite short.

backy

Congratulations on the new SUV! How much did you get for the slightly-used Fit?

dewaltdakota

$16,500 - which includes all of the accessories and window tinting. It worked out well for both me and the buyer, as it more than paid off my note, and got them a loaded up Sport Auto for less than MSRP, and no wait.

We won't tell them about the DNA sample that accidentally left under the dash, when I just about cut off my thumb, deinstalling my satellite receiver hookup. :sick:

hungarian83

Too bad that the Fit wasn't a good fit for you, but excellent choice on the new car. I haven't had a chance to drive one yet, but I did explore the new CR-V at the dealership and it looks like a great vehicle.

bodble2

"...it looks like a great vehicle."

Unfortunately, the "great" does not apply to the "looks".

hungarian83

Unfortunately, the "great" does not apply to the "looks". :confuse:
Looks are subjective.

IMHO it looks much more upscale than the previous two generations. The grille takes a bit of getting used to, but otherwise I think the car looks quite nice.

Just like with the Fit (if I remember correctly) you really don't like the base model, but you don't mind the way the Sport model looks. As for me, I prefer the cleaner lines of the base model over the sport, although I would like the Euro 1.4i ES alloy wheels on my base instead of the wheel covers. :P

Preference towards looks is all about a matter of tastes.

inot

Does anybody know where can I get 44B19L-S size aftermaket battery in US?

mwqa

The result is not really surprising.

http://drivingtelevision.com/videos.php?epID=403

crimsona

That was a pretty long review...
Really needed the Versa there though.

mwqa

Yeah, but it's predictable that the Versa would have been pretty high in the rankings. Reliability questions aside, it's a pretty attractive car for the segment!

In Canada, we also have the Volkswagen City Golf and City Jetta (older versions of the new Rabbit and Jetta). They were also missing, but just went on sale a month ago.

It's surprising how poorly the Yaris hatch did (and in the Consumer Reports, too). Maybe the new Scions will be effective Fit fighters, but the Yaris doesn't seem to be. That said, the Yaris hatchback is awfully popular around here (Montreal, Quebec) and is available at all the car rental agencies.

fitwill

I am now three months and about 4000 miles into my new AT Fit. I am at about 50% for the oil. I see the manual mentions to use 5W-20 for the oil, but I dont change my own oil, I take it to a shop for that. I know they usually use 10W-30, should I tell them to use the recommended oil and trust they will (show me the receipts and empty containers), or take it to the original Honda dealership as they should know to use the right oil? I use to go to a Midas or a local auto shop, never to a dealership for this. Has anyone got an oil change yet with their Fit? I think to be at 50% with 4000 miles is pretty good, I used to get my old Mercury oil changed close to the 3,000 mark. How far down to the oil life did you change it? How about the Maintenance reminder in the Fit, any experiences with that?

eman6628

I was told but my sales person to change it at 8000 km (or about 5000 miles). On the fitfreak forums, it had mentioned 15% on the oil indicator before getting a oil change, especially on the first oil change, as Honda had put in special chemicals to help the engine during the break-in period.

ramo

Hi we changed oil at 5% to 10 % (2 changes done 31989 kilometers) thats why the numbers are there, you dont need to change until then. Honda would be liable for the car if that was not the case and you could prove oil changes when maintenance minder told you too. Enjoy your fit and the advantages that are built in to the vehicle!

bobw3

I agree that in general, the 3000 mile oil change interval is there just to make $$ for Jiffy Lube, who charg $40 for an oil change! The cars I've owned recommended 5000 miles, and that's what I've done. Plus I know people who have had cars for many hundred thousand miles, and both of my previous cars have had well over 100K miles, and never have I heard of engines going bad...transmissions, clutch, AC, water pump, alternator, shocks, etc, but never the actual engine. Plus they probably over-engineer the oil change interval to start with, so if they say 5000 miles, it's probably good for longer, but just to be on the safe side they put the recommendation to 5000 miles. That being said, if you really race your car, and for the first oil change, I'd do it sooner.

gearhead1

I dont change my own oil, I take it to a shop for that. I know they usually use 10W-30, should I tell them to use the recommended oil and trust they will (show me the receipts and empty containers), or take it to the original Honda dealership as they should know to use the right oil?

They would have to be morons if they put 10-30 in your Honda. If you pop your hood it says to use 5-20 right on the oil cap. If you want to be certain, just bring your own oil and tell them to use that.

gearhead1

Plus they probably over-engineer the oil change interval to start with, so if they say 5000 miles, it's probably good for longer, but just to be on the safe side they put the recommendation to 5000 miles.

If you listen to the oil experts on Bob the oil guy, many there do oil changes at 10,000 miles with no problem. These guys have sent samples of their 10,000 mile oil to the lab and the lab says it's just fine. Knowing this, I'm quite comfortable with Honda's maintenance minder saying to change the oil around the 6,000 mile mark. I'm certain there's at least a 4,000 mile margin of safety. Personally, I would never feel comfortable pushing a car to 10,000 miles before an oil change, but it's good to know it can be done safely with no harm to the vehicle.

Just for the record I'm running Valvoline 5-20 with a Napa Gold oil fiter which is a Premium Wix Filter. I just changed the Fit's oil for the first time yesterday. The odometer read around 6,000 miles and the maintenance minder was at 15% oil life left.

jesswhite1982

I got my oil changed this Wednesday at 15% oil life on the maintenance minder. Odometer read 5800ish miles when it first came up, and the oil was changed at around 6050 miles. I'd say stick with the maintenance minder, and you'll be fine The manual recommends that you change it at around 15%.