Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hatchbacks Honda Fit Honda Fit
4675 messages, Last post on Jul 02, 2009 at 2:08 PM
You are in the Honda Fit Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: tonyspumoni (Jan 07, 2009 9:33 am) I had a 2008 Fit 5 speed and was also impressed by the handling. I found it a little OVER responsive on the freeway - it took a little getting used to the quickness of the steering ratio and responsiveness of the steering - I'd just be THINKING about a lane change and wham, bam, I was there. Took a little getting used to. I never heard the gas sloshing underneath me - I had heard reports of that, but despite some occasional hard driving on curving roads, never heard a thing - and I am sensitive to noises produced by my cars. The windshield wipers on my car also seemed cheap, but I Rain-X all my cars windows (with weekly or every other week updates on the front windshield during rainy season) and at freeway speeds never have to turn on the wipers. Rain-X also seems to eliminate wiper "chatter" that occurs on untreated windshields. Finally, I wipe down the edges of the wiper blades with the paper towel I used to apply the Rain-X to the windshield with (sometimes adding a little more Rain-X to the towel first) and am always amazed how much black road film gunk comes off the wipers. You might try Rain-X on your windshield and cleaning the wiper edges; if that doesn't help, there are tons of highquality after market wiper blades that will snap in to replace the existing blades - Bosch is supposed to be good, as is the Rain-X brand, but I've had good success choosing one of the slightly upmarket sets from Walmart. You may at some point get annoyed at what I call the "torsion beam bump" noise from the rear suspension. Well before your front wheels hit the bump stops, the rear end will make a big noise, if you hit an irregularity in the road (like a bump/swell on the freeway). It's not unique to the Fit - I had the same crash noise on my torsion beam Versa and on my torsion beam Cobalt (but not as bad on the Cobalt). On my Focus with independent rear suspension, no such noise, so I assume the general unsettled feel and noise are intrinsic to the torsion beam design. On the other hand, the torsion beam on the Fit allows incredible rear storage space - independent rear suspensions apparently intrude into the trunk area more. I put a Honda window-screen style roll-out cargo cover (accessory item, about $175) in the back of my Fit. It's just too much of a jungle out there to leave the rear trunk area visually exposed. I suppose you could also work around the issue by tinting the windows (which is almost required even if you use a cargo since on my 2008, at least, the cargo cover left a big "peek" gap between the cover and the rear seat). On the other hand, now that manufacturers are endorsing inflation kits/sealants as an alternative to spare tires (since most punctures are nails or screws which respond well to sealant kits), I suppose an alternative would be to take out and store the spare tire and carry a can of sealant and inflation pump - then use the massive "under trunk floor" space for gym bag etc., reserving the actual trunk for groceries and short term hauling of Costco booty back home. Yes, I would like to get another Fit some day, and would already have a 2009 if several reviews hadn't complained about the noise levels cruising at freeway speed (the 2009 was SUPPOSED to have more sound insulation, but something went wrong). It's not that the Fit too noisy, it's just that as I grow older I value more quiet - except when, as you do, I hit the throttle and enjoy the engine's tune. I imagine once the Fit has stability control standard (by 2012?) it will be irresistable, and I will rationalize purchasing my second Fit on grounds it is an incredible people and cargo hauler - and unlike almost any small car on the market (except the Caliber) can actually haul three kids in the back AND still have enough room behind the rear seat for a Costo shopping day. I have to say in a general age of cynicism, it is heartening to read a review that is so enthused with the enthusiasm I first had for cars back in the '60's when my father gave me a '56 Chevy while I secretly longed for a TR7.
|
|
|
Replying to: nippononly (Jan 06, 2009 11:30 pm) Good idea about the tire swap. Last question - I'm comfortable changing pads and rotors on disk brakes but I've read its a real bear to change out the brake linings on drum brakes. Is it a DIY job or best left to the dealer or Midas/Meinekie (yikes!!)? Are drum brakes really that much less costly then disks that the manufacturers continue to equip their low-end models in 2009?! Thanks
|
|
|
Replying to: johnxyz (Jan 07, 2009 1:29 pm) You should make sure changing brake pads does not adversely affect the performance of your ABS anti-lock braking system. ABS systems assume a certain "linearity" of brake grip - they have to "pulse" your brakes to provide the antilock effect. If replacement brakes are more touchy or grabby there could be a problem. It's worth researching on Google and even calling Hawk or other responsible makers to ask their tech service department. Yes, I'm annoyed by having to worry about this too, since manufacturers supply our cars with excessively soft ceramic pads whose main claim to fame is a reduction in brake dust that often blackens wheels when you use high performance pads.
|
|
|
Replying to: micweb (Jan 07, 2009 2:09 pm) |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: micweb (Jan 07, 2009 10:38 am) What I find kind of neat though is that every facet of the Fit's performance seems designed to harmonize with the others so that no feature appears incongruous. Handling is tight, cornering is flat, engine noise is noticeable, road noise is moderate, all in proportion to the others. Imagine an Avalon, say, with road noise of a Fit. It would stand out like a baboon at the elephant show. So it is entirely possible that I just don't notice the road noise - and it really is loader - because it is the expected amount of noise given the Fit's handling characteristics. If the Fit were really, really quiet, it would actually be kind of weird to me - I loathe the Camry's boat-like handling and dentist-chair isolation. |
|
Had an accident a while back and had the front end/bumper replaced. Since then I've noticed that the angle of the foglights is lower than before. Can anyone tell me how to adjust the angle of the foglights myself or point me to a resource? Thanks!!
|
|
|
Replying to: bayoujay (Jan 13, 2009 2:14 pm) |
|
I love my 2008 Fit Sport Manual but have one major issue. The front seats are fine for local commuting but on long drives of over an hour,the seat bottoms are too firm, and the lack of height adjustment make for a very sore bottom. Has anyone found a padded seat cover or a seat cushion that helps on long drives and is a nice fit?
|
|
|
Replying to: stevemr1 (Jan 27, 2009 7:29 pm) |
|
|
|
|
I ordered my '09 Fit Sport eight months before they arrived in the States so I literally got one of the first ones off the boat and I've accumulated almost 8000 miles to date. I feel compelled to throw my two cents into the dicussions on ride comfort when I read posts of people complaining about it, especially comparing it to mid and sometimes even full size cars. I can't be the only person who realizes this is a SUB-compact car; not a compact, crossover etc. so I guess my question to the masses that I'd like some feedback on is, what exactly did people think a car this size would feel like going down the road; a Cadillac? It's a common sense issue for me because the general rule of thumb is: The smaller the car, the rougher the ride typically is but mabye someone can give me a different perspective on the reasoning behind trashing the ride of the Fit because I have trouble understanding what people thought the ride of a sub-compact would feel like when they got behind the wheel. Thoughts? I
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hatchbacks Honda Fit Honda Fit
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2009 Honda Fit
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
