Hey guys. I'm a former GSR owner, who switched over to a WRX back in 2003, and am now thinking about getting a Honda Fit. I go to school in SF, but live in Santa Clara (for those of you who aren't familiar with the area, it's about a 50 mile commute each way), and wanted something that was more suited for city driving, and commuting in general. Right now, my Subie is running a Cobb stage II, is lowered with H&R springs, and is wearing a set of Pirelli P-zero Nero tires. Anyways, the suspension is kind of harsh going over bumps in the city, and suffice it to say, gas mileage is atrocious. If I am lucky, I'll get about 22mpg...maybe. Oh, it's also got 75k miles on it right now.

Now, I was thinking about selling it, and getting something more comfortable to drive, and that is more agile/nimble as well. I initially was thinking Miata, but it's too small to be practical, so the Fit seemed like a viable option. I also miss Honda's and their build quality. For those of you who've never driven a WRX, it's really "plasticky". Anyways, I was thinking about getting a base NBP 5spd, since it would just about be an even trade for my car right now.

Ok, so obviously performance-wise I'm stepping way down, but, in other aspects of driveability, how would it be? I figure that it'd just be easier to park and maneuver around the city. Oftentimes I also take naps in my car while I'm at school, and figured the Fit has enough room to still be able to do that. Also, I've heard great things about handling - how would it compare? Would the 14inch wheels severely hinder it? I would eventually upgrade the tires/wheels, and am considering either the Jackson Racing supercharger or the AJ's Racing turbo kit for sometime during the summer. I figure with about 140-160whp, it won't feel much slower than my WRX is now Also, after getting a suspension upgrade, I figure it will handle better than my WRX.

Anyways, what do you guys think? Am I wasting my time even looking? Will it be just so different/slow that I should possibly look a something else? I'm thinking about test driving one this weekend, but figured I'd ask your guys' input also. Thanks.

 

heh, I'm in the same boat. Former GSR owner (JRSC'd and turbo'd at different times). I own an 02 WRX with txs stg 4, and some suspension mods. I do 100% city driving, and get around 18mpg on a good tank. I hate driving around getting such poor mileage, just to be able to go to the track every once in a while. Im probably going to check out some Fits this weekend, and decided if I will be selling the wrx, or keeping it as a second car (which is probably more likely as I have the space and cash to do so).

I want it to be able to haul the dog (130lb anatolian shepherd/german shepherd mix that won't fit in my current sedan), get good mileage, and still be semi-fun to drive. The fit sounds exactly like what I need.

 

the only problem i see for you guys is availability, manual trannies are rare and hard to find, i think only 15% of the fits are manuals( correct me if im wrong) i have manual and it was pretty tough to find. and AJR is coming out with their turbo kit soon and it's priced around 2K with out ecu, still i dont think it will be close to the wrx's acceleration though

 

It's not a step down, you're just thinking pratical. Nothing wrong with that IMO. I heard some complains about seats being uncomfortable during long trips also the car gets poor gas mileage, so I would research alittle more before you make your decision. I seen quite a few used Fit out there with high mileage on them already, so that's good indication that those complains were legit.

 

Also another thing is alot of people are having issues with their MPG not being what was posted on the window sticker. If you're expecting 37+ MPG then this might not be the car for you. Also if you're planning on a turbo setup then your MPG wil probably be around 27-30 MPG, I'm guessing. As for the handling, I have no complaints. Just don't do Tein springs because they are bouncy and shitty, I'm scraping all over the place. Overall the Fit is a great car and there is a whole lot of room in the interior, alot more than I expected, that's for sure! People def. give me looks, there aren't that many hooked up fits on the road Good luck on your decision and also trying to find a manual tranny.

 

A couple of the dealerships around here seem to be able to get a manual transmission, but not necessarily in the color I want. Hopefully with some searching that won't be too much of an issue. As for MPG, I never expected 37+ mpg all the time, but anything around 30mpg would be great. Only being able to go about 280-300 miles before having to fill up 16 gallons sucks...and that's mostly freeway driving.

I never expected the Fit to be able to accelerate as fast as my WRX...that would be an unreasonable expectation unless I planned to heavily mod it. I just wanted something to give it a bit more kick,and I'm thinking that either the JRSC or the AJ's turbo kit would fit the bill. 130-160whp sounds like it'd be decent in a small car like the Fit.

What do you guys think the acceleration and 1/4mi times will be with those kits? If I remember correctly, a DC2 needed about 185whp to get into the 13's.....what do you think the Fit would need? How much does it weigh? Thanks again.

 

I took a huge step down to save $$. I had an '05 STi that I sold. My '93 SE-R brokedown so I needed a car. I really wanted a Fit MT, but I couldn't find one. I opted for the AT and now that I've owned it for 2k miles I'm quite happy. Go to http://www.fitfreak.net for more info. It's a lot more active than this forum for the Fit.

The car is slow, but you get used to it. I find myself accelerating sooner to merge on the interstate, but other than that no complaints with the 109 hp. The car is light and handles quite well...which makes it a lot of fun to drive. Go drive one and see what you think. If you're looking for something to mod then I'd stay away from the Fit. Like most Hondas you're going to spend a lot of money for little gains IMO. The Fit is more of a daily driver. I've considered a few mods, but nothing too crazy. The car is a utility to me...not a race car.

Pros:
-MUCH better gas mileage than my STi (I'm getting mid-upper 20 mpg...mostly city)
-I can fit a lot of stuff inside. The rear "magic seat" is quite useful. It's great for those of you with dogs. The seats fold flat down to accomodate large items. I can get my mt bike inside easy.
-Cheap insurance
-Safe...for a small car
-Handling is superb. Makes on/off ramps fun.

Cons:
-Gas mileage isn't as good as EPA claims
-Seating postion/gas pedal angle is slightly uncomfortable. It takes awhile to get used to and once you are you don't even think about it anymore.
-Slow

 

My manual Fit Sport is averaging 35+ mpg in the summer, and 30+ mpg in the winter. It replaced my old 1992 4 door Integra GS.

It's faster than a DX Civic, and pretty much same acceleration as a stock SOHC VTEC Civic.

I find it accelerates fine in town, not so great for passing above 60 mph.

It's by far the most practical car around. You can seat four 6'+ men in it, or cart around 2 people and a few 6' ladders, etc...

 

I achieved 47mpg this tank... so I have no idea what these people are rambling about. The seats are fine imho, they aren't recaro/sparco/bride but they are fine for OEM. Car has good handling characteristics for a OEM FWD car. Turn on the AC and it will cut down your hp by what seems a 1/2.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ieldib &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I achieved 47mpg this tank... </TD></TR></TABLE>

How exactly did you calculate your mileage???

The complaints of low maileage on automatics is concerning me--I don't want to replace my wife's CR-V with a smaller car that gets maybe 2mpg better...

 

Nope, not at my dealership! We got 3...but you're right theyre hard to find. If youre interested...check out http://www.kleinhonda.com. If youre a serious buyer, fo to your dealer and ask to do a dealer trade...

 

yes. horrible idea. get a hhr.

 

I'm ready to trade in my 05 STI too. I'd like to free up monthly income to mod the Fit vs. just making payments for the STI. I'd probably swap a K-series first, just to take care of the power issues. Only problem in CO is...you can't find a Fit. They are on 3 month backorder, and manual tranny is like finding sasquatch.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ieldib &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I achieved 47mpg this tank... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Where you driving a constant 40mph going down hill with a breeze from behind you?

I want number like that too!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kyoung05 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Only being able to go about 280-300 miles before having to fill up 16 gallons sucks...and that's mostly freeway driving. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Hey dude, consider yourself lucky man. I have a 96 GMC Jimmy lowered 4 inches with a Flowmaster dual exhaust and APC intake and I get around 15MPG highway. I get about 250-270 out of 20 gallons of gas if I'm lucky. I'm a former owner of a 92 Integra GS coupe with a B18A1 turbo and even putting out over 250WHP with 390cc injectors and a 255lph fuel pump it made 27MPG highway.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fitfreak3 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As for the handling, I have no complaints. Just don't do Tein springs because they are bouncy and shitty, I'm scraping all over the place. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Your car is not bouncing around because Tein springs are shitty, its because the springs are too high of a spring rate for the stock shocks to damp. If you got a shock that could properly damp the springs you're running it would be just as stiff but it wouldn't bounce all over the place. Scraping is just a function of having the ride height too low.

 

[I heard some complains about seats being uncomfortable during long trips also the car gets poor gas mileage, so I would research alittle more before you make your decision. I seen quite a few used Fit out there with high mileage on them already, so that's good indication that those complains were legit.[/QUOTE]

I just traded my wife's Auto FIT (sport) for these reasons. It may vary from person to person, but I found the seats to be a little on the unconfortable side (compared to my WRX) during long trips. The pedal position was a little unconfortable after a while too. In most of my driving situations (mostly highway and backroads w/a lot of hills), although it cost less to fill, I found myself filling up the Fit more frequently (twice a week) as opposed to my WRX because of the smaller gas tank. I was averaging 270-290 miles with the Fit, while I could get a consistent to 350-370 miles with my WRX (Cobb Stage II also) driving normally.
All my previous hondas seemed to do a lot better on gas mileage too.

But the functionality and purpose of the Fit did far exceed what I could had in my WRX. More cargo and people room + easier to park and maneuver. It doesn't have much going for it as far as acceleration and power, but handling and nimbleness makes this car fun to really fun drive. If the dealer had a manual Fit in stock when I went back, I would've definately considered it. But being how the manuals are on a waiting list at our local dealer for the next couple of months, we ended up driving home with a 07' Civic SI sedan. Good luck finding the perfect "FIT"

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by acurals140 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">But being how the manuals are on a waiting list at our local dealer for the next couple of months</TD></TR></TABLE>

I keep hearing this from everyone... I guess I got lucky. I woke up Friday morning felt like checking out a Fit Sport MT and after work on Friday, I called up my local dealer, test drove it then picked it up on saturday

 

I get around 33 mpg mixed City/ HWY. The real complaint i really have this car is noise level. Just test drive the fit and you will notice significant difference in the road noise between wrx and the fit. Slow acceleration is also one of my complaint, but you get used to it. Good luck finding a fit though, it took me about 3 weeks, and I didn't even get the color that i wanted.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by acurals140 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I was averaging 270-290 miles with the Fit, while I could get a consistent to 350-370 miles with my WRX (Cobb Stage II also) driving normally. </TD></TR></TABLE>

My TXS stg 4+ WRX is lucky to get 230 on a tank. Most I ever got was 260 when stock.

Last tank i got 15mpg! :D

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chri5 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

My TXS stg 4+ WRX is lucky to get 230 on a tank. Most I ever got was 260 when stock.

Last tank i got 15mpg! :D</TD></TR></TABLE>

My '03 WRX with a few mods got 17 mpg on the average. My '05 STi got 16 mpg or less. The Fit is much easier on the wallet even if I do only get high 20's (all cars mostly city driving). I can "fit" a lot more crap inside too.

 

468miles clocked it at 0 when i filled up that tank, gas light was on when i pulled into the gas station. Give or take a couple of miles due to odometers inaccuracy, and whatever was left in the tank, and it should be around ~44-47mpg. I just had a crappy run this week though . Leadfoot = 243 mpg It's really all in how you drive, you have to keep the car at a steady rpm range, and take off like a turtle every light.

 

 

I can't imagine not getting the sport model when the price diiference is about a grand and what you get is amazing. The cruise control is almost vital for highway, mag wheels are so much better and 15' tires, as well as the CD sound system, spoiler, and ground effects, way cool. The extra money will soon be forgotten, and the pleasure of having the right model will last. Also you get more when you go to sell or trade. I got a manual and saved a grand over A/T but have not been happy with the clutch off the line.

 

I think I'm going crazy too, I've been thinking of getting rid of my 04 Dually Diesel Chevy Silverado for a Fit. That's going from one of the biggest vehicles on the road to the smallest. I love the room inside the fit, but having looked at the new civics it's hard to justify buying a smaller car like the fit with the price of the Civic being not much more. I still need to drive a manual Fit, my local dealer had two autos but I definetly want a stick with only 109 hp.