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Honda Fit New Owner Reports
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Comments
I am strongly considering trading in my 2004 Honda CR-V AWD for a Honda Fit - mostly for the better gas mileage.
I live in Central Jersey and will be spending a lot of time on the road traveling out to PA (50 minutes one-way).
My question is: is this a smart choice given the possibility of weather conditions such as snow, heavy rain, and high winds? :confuse:
Would I be better have to have *both* vehicles for different purposes? Or from owners' experiences, does your car handle well enough in these types of conditions for me just to buy the Fit outright and trade in the CRV?
Any insight you could provide would be greatly appreciated!
Jeannie
So a new search was on. The Honda dealer was only willing to offer me 8,500 for my beautiful 02 Miata as a trade in. I advertised (in SC)and sold it for 11k...yippee. That little car deserved a pampered life. This was just under the wire because my birthday had passed and I needed a new tag...$$
Back in GA while visiting, I found more dealers with Fits than there were in SC. I began calling around and found exactly the one I wanted at Honda Carland in Roswell. The salesman told me up front what the final driveout price would be (14,703) I checked around at other dealers and found their prices higher. Also, there were no more cars in Lunar Mist in the state and I would be waiting til one was built (2 wks).
Honestly the only colors I like are silver (we have one already) and this silvery pale blue called Lunar Mist. This is only available in the base version and it is being retired after this year.
Back to story...
The next day my son and I drove down and the car was sitting there ready for me. The salesman said 3 people had tried to buy it. O.K. he's a salesman but I think he was honest. We test drove it and it was great. The manual transmission is smooth and peppy. The 0-60 in 12 seconds must be for the automatic trans. because this car seems to accelerate as fast as the Miata. Well, it didn't take me long to make the deal since I was bitten. There was no negotiating the price based on supply and demand. He said I saved a lot by buying out of state. This is the base version with added pin stripes and mud guards. I didn't think the sport was worth the price differnce to have the extras. To sum up the pros at the top of the list is safety. After being rear ended by a truck on the expressway, I wanted to go with a little larger car... yes, larger. With ample airbags and bracing in the doors.
I love the magic seating and great cargo space. I can carry my bike or my grandchild or 4 dogs (not at same time)
The gas mileage will be even better than the fuel efficient Miata. I got 40 mpg on the 350 mile ride form GA back to SC.
I think the rear viewing is great with that little corner window. The large windshield really is open and being around 5 ft. I can really see. As of yet I hadn't noticed the pillars in front creating a blind spot.
Well, everything has a honeymoon period and I am still in it but am reminded that this is my first new car and I don't want any negatives creeping in. However, it is just another thing and as all things there can be problems.
The second day the breaks felt weird when I applied them. It was a crunching feeling that didn't re occur that day but I got it checked out. This other local dealer in GA thought they were OK so I drove it back to SC with no problem. The ABS light was on now so I got it checked here in SC and they found that I needed a new part for the ABS. It was coming on when it detected an unevenness in the wheels such as sand. This was the crunching sensation in brakes.
I am missing my car but they were really great at the dealership and gave me a rental that is a V8 gas guzzler. I amd watching the needle go down and $10 worth of gas gets me nowhere!
I hope to be driving this car for a long time.
In the future I think that Honda could come up with some more exciting colors and work on better fuel economy as the Japanese versions are. One detail on the base version is a raw metal edge showing at base of frame that could be covered with a 1 inch piece of trim at no cost, yet it would properly finish the car without being too...Jazzy.
I hope yours get fixed up in no time.
Doug C
I'm surprised that this pale silver blue is only in base model. To me, they saved the best color for us.
I'm not a fan of blue but this is a nice blue. Silver is good but we have one already and it seems to be pretty common.
Truth is that they need to expand on those choices
Thanks for the input.
If my legs are comfortable, I'm reaching for the steering wheel with nearly straight arms; if my arms are at a comfortable angle, my legs are too bent. I read a post from some woman somewhere that talked about the car aggravating her carpel tunnel so I was wary when we test drove the car. I could tell it would be an issue just sitting there for 5 minutes but since my commute is 10 minutes and everything else was right, we bought any way. Hope we don't regret it in a year. :confuse:
I had been making the trip at around 70-80 mi. per hr but i think gas slightly better at 65-70.
I am looking to buy one but to be honest I have only ever had a Ford Ranger. I have read all 32 pages (lol) of the forum and dont seem to see anyone posting anything after 3 mos about their Fits. Could you please respond and tell me how you feel after a year of use. THANKS SO MUCH!! :shades:
I bought my Honda Jazz same as the Fit in the US in Sept. 2005. I sold it March 2006. So 6 months. I sold it because I was moving and in this country that is very very complicated if you car is registered in one place and you want to move and register it in another.
Anyway with the exception of lower fuel economy that I would have likes 24mpg in the city and never any better. The only problem I had with it was a handle in teh rear hatch that you grab to pull the hatch down with. It would pop or fall out sometimes. I told the dealer about it but it didn't ever really get fixed they said no to glue it as it's used access light bulbs or something. But if I had kept it I'd put a drop or two of glue to hold it in.
The other problem was the rearview had terrible vibration even on a smooth road. The dealer switched out the rubber part from another car and it was fine after that. Other than that I had zero problems with it. Oh I had the base 1.3L Sport manual which isn't sold in the US. I had plenty of power for city driving and loved the way it shifted and teh magic seats were so great and easy to use.
I only have 3 problems with possibly buying a Fit when I get back to the US and one involves how well the 1.5L will do on American highways and my back is not so good and the seats are very hard in the Fit. The other is how well will it do in New England winters going up and down hills. Yeah snow rated all seasons most likely. My wife likes the car except she can't see the front of the nose. Seats from a Mini Cooper S would be awesome and solve my back problems but no more magic seats either.
The Ft is a really good car and as long as you aren't getting old and fat (like me) and your back is good it should be fine.
We are also considering other cars and I will test drive a US fit when I get there next year. If I were to go to the US today the it would be in my top 3 choices. In 2008 in the top 5. You've gotta drive one and see if the seats are comfortable. The 2008 accord looks so nice tho and comfy seats but almost zero utility. My wife likes the CR-V but the rear tire blocks her view backing up.
So 6 months for me and now I own a Toyota Hi-Lux diesel. i passed on the Ford Ranger diesel,. Diesel is what is prefer but not until 2009. :sick:
With the flexibility of the seats, ease of parking, cabin quality, etc. - there's a lot to love about this car. However, two things are making me (almost) regret my decision.
#1: MPG. My first tank of gas I got 23 mpg. Since then it's hovered in the mid-20s, with my best tank being 27 mpg. I'm a pretty conservative driver, don't use a lot of AC, etc. There's absolutely no way my driving style is responsible for me consistently getting 25 mpg - it's clearly the car. Dealer told me I would need 5-7K miles for break-in and that I'd see improvements after. After reading these forums, however, I'm skeptical and am starting to wonder if maybe I just got stuck with a Fit that gets crappy mileage.
#2: I can hear the gas tank sloshing around. I know the gas tank is moved up to allow for the magic seats, but when I shift the car from reverse into drive or go over a speed bump I can hear the gas sloshing around. Full, half full, near empty, doesn't matter. I can hear the gas like I had a huge bottle of water in the backseat. Dealer tried to say it was because of tank placement, but I'm skeptical... anyone else have this problem?
Like I said, I want to love the car but every time I fill up and hear the gas moving around I get annoyed. I hear people getting 39, 40 mpg - I'd be thrilled with 30. 25 is simply ridiculous.
Anyone else have any grips, complaints, love-it's or hate-it's?????
#2 - Yes, I can hear the gas sloshing around, but it's usually only when I first start moving. Then again, most of the time I turn the radio on right away, so then I don't hear it. And yes, it is because of the placement of the tank. In order to allow for flexibility with the back seats and so they can fold flat, the tank was moved forward, pretty much under the driver's seat. That's why you hear it. I know there have been posts about this before, but it was a while back.
Yes, how you drive can and does affect your economy to a point but there is so much overwhelming evidence that some Fit/Jazz cars get poor economy right out of the box no matter how they are driven that it's undeniable.
But no one listens if they have a good one and they just say it's your driving habits.
If it was just that, Honda never would have sent factory technicians to look at my car. Honda cannot fix the problem, probably because they don't know what's wrong.
Toyota is denying lots of problems to it's customers and saying it's normal or blaming the customer, just read up on the Camry or RAV4, that many people can't be wrong!
Sweeping the Good mpg Fit, Bad mpg Fit under the rug won't help. With mine no one could get better economy out of it not even the factory techs driving it! Somehow I don't think they were redlining it in every gear.
I will say this tho, on my Jazz it rarely would drop below 10.5km/l no matter how hard I drove it. Also unless I had really long roads with no traffic I wouldn't get much above 12km/l and that's driving for hours, as close to a highway as there is in that part of the country but the roads were winding and usually busy except late at night.
This is enough of an issue that even tho my wife wants a Fit, I'm very leery of buying another one because I'm afraid it will get worse economy than a V6 Accord! :sick:
Sure, I understand, I'm just saying that for me that would be 1,600km and the dealer kept saying it would get better and it never did. Keeping that in mind there is absolutely nothing a person can do if they got a low mpg model except try and drive it very slowly and see the economy versus driving it like they normally would there should be very little actual difference in the mileage between the two if it's a bad mpg Fit. I got 10.5km/l if I drove it gently and maybe 9.5km/l if I drove it like Mario Andretti. On what amounts to long roads it would get 12km/l at best. So not even close to what it should get.
So the poster should drive a tank and baby the car. This is from from fillup til the fuel light comes on. Use the exact same gas station if possible if not at least the same brand.
1) Fill Up tank til it either shuts off and we all added a few cents to round it up usually. But if you do that do the exact same thing the next Fill Up. Make certain that you write down the exact amount you put in the tank like this (example 8.63 gallons), or whatever it is but to 2 decimal places. Make sure that you zero out one of your trip meters. I zero out both of them just to be certain i don't make a mistake
2) Now drive the car as someone posted a link to, shift at 2,000-3,000 rpms, coast a lot be gentle with the brakes etc...
3) When the fuel light comes on do not wait, but Fill it up right away, hopefully this is possible. Then record what you put in for fuel (example 8.71 gallons) whatever it is. Then reset your trip meter and calculate your economy based on the amount of miles drive and divide by the amount of gallons to 2 decimal places. Write that down.
4) Now drive the car like a teenager, by this I don't imply breaking the law, but give it an Italian tune-up. Have fun going up the highway ramps, drive at a fast pace on the highway, don't worry about shifting at low rpms or coasting or anything like that. Just have fun with the car and don't do any of the gas saving techniques.
5) When the Fuel light comes on, try and Fill it up right away. Record the fuel you put in and then do the math and see if there is a big difference. If it's a fairly small difference then it's possible that you have a low economy car because driving fast etc... should really affect your economy and if it doesn't then you'll know about the car.
Yes it will probably improve some over time, mine never did and I had the 1.3l.
After you do all this post the difference in fuel economy and what the actual figure were in the forum and we all can debate it for a long time.
If you drive one tank all city and another all highway of course it will be different. But your normal driving routine for 2 tanks should answer the Do I have a low mpg unit. This isn't a guarantee, but it was what I observed with my own car.
I've had my Blaze Orange Metallic 5speed manual Fit Sport 11 months now and have driven it over 21,000 miles.
Overall, I have been very pleased with the car. For the price, you really can't go wrong.
Specific likes: styling (kind of "gen x or y") gets looks from many bystanders and other drivers.
Magic Seats (great flexibility for carrying cargo)
Fuel Economy: Average 36-38 MPG, have had a all-time high of 45.32 on a trip back from Rockford IL to Minneapolis (drove at 70MPH the whole way with cruise on).
Stereo: good factory system (supplement it with my XM Satellite radio receiver and ipod. Almost never listen to the commercial over-the-air local radio station crap anymore).
Drivability: yes, it is fun to drive- but remember it is an economy car first. I have noticed it leans in the turns much more now and bottoms out the rear suspension as the macpherson struts wear).
Dislikes:
Drivers seat needs height adjustment
Carpeting (is that what you call it?) is hard to vacuum, dog hair is especially hard to vacuum up easily even with a dyson vacuum).
Body panels are very thin stamped steel. Easily dents (I made knuck impressions on my fender by simply applying downward pressure with my knuckles to better align the fender and hood after body shop repair due to an accidental collision with a divided highway sign which caused over $4000 of damage).
Yes, the sloshing is there, however it is barely noticeable. Try an old pickup truck with the gas tank mounted behind the seat (early 70s vintage Dodge)!! It is so loud that you think the tank is going to wrench loose from the cab!
The only other minor gripe is with the ABS... they activate when applying brakes while driving over bumps or railroad tracks on dry roads. Seem a little overly sensitive, could be the weight (lack thereof) of the car which may be causing the front wheel(s) to hop slightly which triggers the ABS. Not a big deal however.
It is my daily driver and other than oil changes (usually at about 7000 miles or so per the Maintenance Minder) and 1 tire rotation, I have had no problems with it whatsoever.
Would I buy another one? Yes, I would. Would I recommend it to a good friend or stranger? Yes, I would.
Hope this helps you with your decision.
I am 6'3" and no, my thighs are not bothered/uncomfortable while driving the Fit. I tend to rest my right leg against the console while driving, this seems to be the the most comfortable.
Dead pedal... I haven't found myself missing it
Armrest... would be nice, but again, I haven't found it to be a make or break item. Many times my right elbow is resting against the side of the passenger seat (when no one is riding with me) which provides some support.
I used to drive a 1999 Ford F150 extended cab 4x4 pickup, so for me to find the Fit relatively comfortable is a great testament to the good design.
Feel free to contact me with any questions!
Good luck.
I'll be commuting 55 miles one-way to work (35 miles of it highway driving on an Interstate from the Jersey Shore to just a little West of Trenton).
My main concerns are: comfort of highway driving in the Fit, driving in less than ideal conditions (high winds, snow, heavy rains, etc.), and gas mileage at 65-70mph.
I would love to hear from Fit owners about their experiences and their comments on these issues. Any feedback you could provide would be great!
Thanks~
Jeannie :confuse:
I've driven in snow, rain, wind, etc. and have felt very comfortable. If it's a really windy day you can definitely feel it, but it's never been enough to make me feel unsafe or like I was going to lose control of the car. I also feel confident driving int he snow. It's like most cars - as long as you take it easy and drive based on the weather conditions, you'll be fine.
I drive about 80% highway (70-75 mph) and 20% city. I usually average 34mpg in my automatic, with my best tank so far at almost 38mpg. I know a lot of people will say that the Fit is a better city car than a commuting car, but it's made my commute almost enjoyable
I almost always play music when I'm in my car, and I've never heard the gas sloshing. Not even in rare moments when I drive without music. Hmmmmmm...
I love my Fit - I've had it four months now, and I don't drive that much, just to work (12 miles each way, highway commute - 70 to 75mph), and some errands at lunch, and home, usually. I'm broke now that I have a car payment (my last car was paid for years ago, so paying a monthly payment is rough right now - I need to do a refi!), so I don't go driving all around if I don't have to, but my regular commute and errands running is still getting me 36 to 37 mpg consistently. I've got the manual transmission too.
I notice when I get stuck in traffic, or have to accelerate to pass on the highway, or drive at all anything other than conservatively, I see the needle move faster toward empty. But if I do the coasting to a stop in neutral thing, and little to no a/c, and keep the windows up to eliminate drag (some say this really doesn't matter, but I notice a difference), and only drive around with me in the car, I get great mileage.
Not to insinuate anything here, but maybe some people who are getting really low mileage might have more weight in the car than those who are getting the high numbers? I'm only 110 lbs after all, and I almost always drive alone in the car. Maybe that's a factor, I don't know. I know cargo weight, tire air pressure, low rpm's, and overall driving style can adversely affect mileage results.
Honestly, I have no complaints about my Fit... yet.
There's actually 2 positions for the back seats. Try lifting the lever for the back seat and pushing it back a little. It should go into a slightly reclined position, which will allow you to recline the front seats all the way. Worked perfectly for me.
But once we got in -- my husband, 6'2" and son, 6'4" in the BACK SEAT, we loved it.
The drive is great. Also, my husband's back revolts against a lot of seats, but the Fit seats were great.
We miss the arm rest a bit, and the steering wheel position took a bit of getting used to, but we love it and would happily add another to our stable of vehicles.
IIRC, for a typical modern car driving at highway speed the A/C uses less power than the drag from an open window. So yes, an open window does increase drag by a significant amount.
But still, it is a nifty feature. And the seats are pretty comfy.
Thanks to those who responded.
Plus I've noticed that even on steep uphills, the auto will downshift to 3rd for a little bit but once the speed is up in the high 60s then there's enough engine torque for it to upshift back to 4th. You may not fly up a really steep hill at 75mph, but then there shouldn't be any need to creep along at 50mph with the trucks.
So far under warrenty had the airbag software recall, a cable reel assembly replaced in the steering column (SRS light had come on and then i lost use of the horn)($400 repair - boy i like warranties). next is I have a piece of lose trim on the rear door window. two of the clips holding it on have broke. will have the dealership fix next time i am in.
I have also had the drivers side door replaced (about $2K)(got hit by a crazy woman). not something i recommend. the window now has trouble going back up so it will be taking another trip into the shop to get that fixed. (wait time on a new door from Honda was a couple of weeks). car is made to fall apart to protect the cabin when hit so be prepared.
mileage on this car is pretty good. in the city (i am a havy user of AC), i average about 10km to 1 L. Highway about 13km to 1L.
bought an armrest from ebay when i bought the car. love it. as for the seating position, i find on long jaunts if you put the seat closer a notch or two, less leg cramps. doesn't bother the back.
love the Magic seats. they were abig selling feature for me. - people will actually want you to help them move in this car. you can fit A LOT of stuff in! about 8 ft from dash to the rear in long mode. have put a double mattress in, furniture,my dogs in tall mode all sorts of stuff. lots of cargo rome. the seats in relax mode are fantastic for the drive-in. lots of fun!
the car takes a little getting use to when yu first start driving it if you are not use to light or small cars. i will definately be purchasing snow tires this winter. car handles suberbly in the rain, snow i find it harder to control.(helps to use the paddleshifting rather than just going i found). many of my friends have driven it and they all love it.
overall - would buy again . but so far i am glad i bought the extended warrenty seeing that i have used the factory warrenty so much already.
Minor issues: I left the windows down a crack in the hot summer and had an unexpected thunderstorm. The side airbag light was on until I drove a while. This has happened twice. Especially in the colder times of year when I first start out in the morning there is a bit of vibration until about 2 minutes after the blue "cold" engine light goes off. I hear a bit of a rattle when I let off the gas in the lower gears. Sounds like an exhaust heat shield. I'll have these issues addressed when I go in for service before the warranty runs out.
I'm 5' 11" 190 pounds and that is no problem for the Fit. I have to squirm a little sometimes to find the perfect spot in the seat, but it's there. Tons of headroom, can't reach the windshield, snick-snick shifter, lots of cupholders and storage, good radio and A/C. Keyless entry is a "must-have" and cruise control comes in handy. Rear vision is not a problem if you know how to properly adjust your side mirrors - and most people don't know. Ask your insurance company, that's where I learned it.
The view ahead is that of a picture window as you can't see ANY of the car front. I'm used to it now and it's OK.
Oh, did I mention reliability and resale value? C'mon - it's a Honda.