What would a person do on cross country trips ? Ever try to buy a new tire for your Fit ? I only found them available at the dealer at quite a markup. This is really lame Honda ! I want a spare.

Spares are heavy, and therefore reduce the performance of your car. More so, if you have a power starved engine.

The downsides are that run-flats cost more per tire when it comes time to replace them, and you'll have a limited number of miles you can go before you really have to do something about your puncture. You shouldn't be driving a gimpy spare for hundreds of miles either though.

First of all there are numerous class action lawsuits pending over the use of the tires and the inherent problems therein. BMW and Toyota have some pretty unhappy customers out there. Here are some of the compaints I found:

They wear out way too soon, like 10 to 12,000 mi. A thick inner sidewall makes this a rough riding tire, and the increased weight drops MPG. Wearing out brakes prematurely, and causing considerable understeer. And they are freakin' expensive. Like 400 to 800 apiece !

But wait ! It gets even worse ! They are usually toast if they are driven flat more than 25 or 50 miles, depending on the speed. That's right ! If they are run flat, you are going to jave to buy a new tire. Sweet !

Then there is the issue of finding a place that can actually change out one of these tires because of the specialized rim required to handle the unique tire bead.
Very few places will handle the tires or have the new equipment needed. And of course they are not going to stock the tires, so you are left sitting there, unable to go anywhere anyime soon, until they can locate your exact tire replacement. Probably have to go on back order, and they will call you as soon as it comes in.
Sound familiar ? This will most certainly require a visit to a dealer.

Can you say bend over boys and girls ?

I was not aware that the JDM model had run flat tires. I also cannot find any proof that is does either.

No one really knows (outside of speculation) whether or not a spare will be included in the USDM 2009 Fit.

200k crew

DRFlickner and JLB MOTORSPORTS

Quote, originally posted by OMG THE GOGGLES »

Idea, but a 4x100 spare tire from junkyard for 10 bucks?

Exactly what I was thinking.

Keep at home in the garage so you're not weighing down your car. The run flat should get you home till you can change it out and drop off the OEM wheel to get a new runflat put on.

Quote, originally posted by OMG THE GOGGLES »

Idea, but a 4x100 spare tire from junkyard for 10 bucks?

You're paying for a new car, you shouldn't have to add anything.

repo'd

• Canon EOS 40D | Speedlite 580EX II | 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6

werd. Regardless of the cheaper price for the car, I want some reassurance. Whether it be a kit w/ fix a flat or a donut spare.

The only car I don't car if it has a spare is my S2000. flatbed all the way if i ever get a flat somewhere.

Who said you had to add anything?

Sunvisors are not always universal, depending upon mounting point and location of clip. The Honda fit does not come factory with floormats either, which are specific.

Honda is providing run flat tires instead, if you want to save money and be smart, you would buy a 10 dollar spare, and use that if you get a flat instead of stumbling home on 3 legs. Then get the tire repaired for $5-15 and its a done deal.

My suggestion was for people who do not think out of the box, and to give them a better solution, while in fact you do not need a spare if you have run flat tires. I personally would not rely on them in my own vehicle, so I have provided a cheap solution for all the others who buy a 2009 Honda.

200k crew

DRFlickner and JLB MOTORSPORTS

-what about all the people with wheel locks? you know damn well no smart guy keeps the key in his car so the spare is now useless

-fix a flat does work, if your hole is on the shoulder or sidewall its beyond repair even by a tire shop.

-a lot of new cars dont have them, Dodge Magnum is one of them and it has a HUGE trunk!

-OMG THE GOGGLES gave good advice, stop crying and take it.

FS: Racing Hart C2's 17x7 4x100
otaku squad member #004

Thanks. I like common sense.

200k crew

DRFlickner and JLB MOTORSPORTS

I am hoping this is a joke hahaha Reconsidering a car because of it not having a spare tire...

200k crew

DRFlickner and JLB MOTORSPORTS

I'm totally serious. It's the small details that really make it or break it for me. One thing that really 'grinds my gears' is making cars more and more complex and difficult to service yourself. I hate traction control, stability control, electronic throttle, ABS even (sucks in the snow/ice). Runflat tires? Forget it.

http://www.hondamarketplace.co...35872

dont forget guys the fit has a tire pressure monitoring system so unless you hit something or you never inspect your tire you probably wont have a blow out.

FS: Racing Hart C2's 17x7 4x100
otaku squad member #004

lol x2. Well maybe you can change the industry. Servicing your car yourself is not exactly making any sense, when the world evolves, you adapt, when new things come out, you learn how to fix them. Do you still want carburated hondas because you don't have to deal with the electronics behind fuel injection?

200k crew

DRFlickner and JLB MOTORSPORTS

Well, I do like tinkering with carbs if that's what you're asking.

IMO fuel injection is different. It has a positive effect for me, namely, excellent throttle response, even running, conistent start up in the cold/hot etc. Electronic throttles are crap right now. Take the Fit for instance. Pressing the pedal 1/4 of its travel results in way more than 1/4 of the available power being applied. It's not linear. On other cars with the throttle by wire system, there is an annoying lag (new corollas come to mind, nissan versas as well from what I hear).

Stability control on inhibits me from driving the car in a manner I see fit. I don't know if any of you drive much in the winter on snow covered or icy roads, but I feel endangered by these electro-nannies. In many braking situations (snow, ice), proper brake modulation with no ABS intervention results in shorter stopping distance than with ABS pounding away. It all has to do with static vs kinetic friction.

I like how the Fit has an easily accessable oil filter, I applaud Honda for this. Making tire changes much more expensive and hard to do is not good, plain and simple.

I know a lot of the old-school EF'ers and EG'ers would agree, maybe this Fit crowd is different.

Just my 02.... and I will be removing my spare to install a sub.. hopefully i wont get ass-ended at 65 mph no time soon..

I'd still have a donut and tires tools on hand for long trips just in case.