First, a little background on myself, how I drive and why I drive. I am an independent appraiser who gets assignments from insurance companies and I drive daily to get to those assignments. I basically go place to place on a daily basis and based out of New York City. Typically, I will see at least 200 miles of stop&go driving on a daily basis. I do have the Escort Red-Line radar detector with the newest firmware update and I speed all the time. I push my Honda Fit to the limit when I can so I can get to the jobs faster. The car is started multiple times each day...turned on and off. Basically, I put my Honda Fit through the toughest times and probably more then what any of you will do with your Fit.


I picked my Honda Fit based off of Consumer Reports tests and the fact that it has fold down rear-seats and a hatch. I knew I was going to be driving around New York City and so I wanted a small car. The Honda Fit seemed to be a perfect match of what I was looking for. Small reliable practical car with above average gas mileage.


I drove the Honda Fit off out of the dealership in May 2011. Its a 2011 Honda Fit Base model with automatic transmission. Out the door price, meaning everything included with tax, title, and fees, was $18500. The actual price I believe was $16000, but throw in all the taxes and fees and it came to $18500 "out the door" pricing.


Driving the Fit all these miles the thing I appreciated most are its ability to maneuver. Its small size allows for very aggressive lane changes and its easy to put this vehicle into places where other vehicles cannot go. In New York City, you can drive up onto the sidewalk and park right against a building which most people don't know. When I go to body shops in NYC, I just pull right up onto the sidewalk. The Honda Fit is perfect for a densely populated urban area.


The thing I did not appreciate about the Honda Fit is the acceleration. Its not a very fast car. Another thing I did not appreciate was how fast the stock parts seemed to wear down. On Toyotas, the brake pads seem to last forever, but on my Honda Fit I was only able to get about 17000 miles off of the stock pads. Firestone has a $99 brake pad deal and their pads wear a lot longer. I believe the Firestone pads are ceramic where as the Honda stock pads are organic.


The average miles per gallon I achieved were the following. Cruise control at 55 mph on open highway I was able to get as high as 43 mpg. Driving really hard around New York City I got 26 mpg. If you drive the car soft and mild, then you can easily achieve mileage in the 30s.


The problems I have had with the Honda Fit are the following:


- Air condition/heat fan speed control knob. There have been two occasions where this knob went out on me. It would only activate the fan at full speed or off. This was replaced two times by the dealership and I was lucky I had bought the HondaCare extended warranty so it was covered.


- Alternator at 117000 miles- This first started with a trouble light coming on. The wipers started to slow, the headlights dim and then the accessories like the radar detector went off. The alternator was covered under the HondaCare warranty.


- TPMS sensors- I have had a total of 3 sensors replaced and this was as a result of potholes which seemed to break the sensors. Either a trouble light would come on or the tire would start losing air.


- Front brake pads wearing too fast- I got about 17000 miles out of the stock Honda pads. I now use the Firestone $99 deal for full ceramic pads. I have not done any instrumented testing, but the Firestone pads seem to work fine.


- Tires wearing too fast- I was able to get 27000 miles out of the stock Dunlop tires. The stock Dunlops rode way too hard for my tastes, but seemed to have the best steering response and cornered very well. I then switched to the Yokohama Avid Envigor which seemed to have a better ride although it seemed to "dumb" it down a little bit. The Avids wore better. Now I use the Yokohama Avid Ascend which have the highest wear rating. These tires make the Honda Fit perform more like the Toyota Corolla. You will get the most comfortable ride with the Ascends, but the handling will not be sporty at all. The Ascends will last long, are very quiet and comfortable, but if you are looking for a sporty ride then avoid the Ascends.


- Transmission- If the ATF fluid is not completely changed every 30,000 miles (meaning you drain and fill 4 times), then the transmission will start to shift funny. When this started happening to me around 30,000 miles then I looked at the fluid and noticed it was a very dark red....almost brown. What you do to drain and fill it is just that. Make sure you drive about 5 miles after each drain and fill to make sure the fluid is mixed together. By now I have probably completely changed the fluid of my Honda Fit 3-4 times. I do drain and fills every 7500 miles because its more practical for myself. My transmission shifts just like the day I drove it off the dealership lot.


- Interior trim pieces wearing down- The drivers door trim panel has a hole in it from my arm resting there. The lettering on the cruise control and radio are wearing away. I completely wore down the brake pedal and had that replaced.



I only use Kendall 0W-20 fully synthetic oil with Liquid Titanium. Titanium is a lubricant which is basically trace amounts of the metal Titanium. Each time I have the oil changed the Honda Fit seems to run smoother. At 100,000 miles I had the belts changed, the thermostat changed, the brake fluid changed, spark plugs and the coolant. From my experience with cars, at 100,000 miles its just a good idea to have all the rubber parts and fluids changed. The brake fluid needs to be changed every 2 years. The manual says 3, but you should do it every 2. Water seems to get into the fluid and its not a good mix with the brakes. If moisture accumulates too much in the fluid, then it will negatively effect braking performance.


I get my Kendall 0W-20 fully synthetic from the Petroleum Service Corporation at $50 a case. The Kendall oil is actually what both Honda and Ford/Motorcraft sell in the parts stores at their dealerships. If you went into any Honda or Ford dealership and purchased their branded oil then it would be Kendall. My Toyota Solara had quit on me at 213000 miles. The Solara developed a rod knock and I was using Mobil 1 fully synthetic purchased from Walmart at the time. So with the Honda Fit I am very anal about the type of oil I put into it. I will only put the oil into it that the manufacturer recommends and sells in their parts department. The Honda branded oil is very expensive so I just buy the Kendall oil bulk from Petroleum Service Corporation. Google it, its online. Now I will admit that using Kendall oil may or may not be more effective then the Mobil 1 at Walmart, but I honestly don't want to take any chances. I know what happened to my Toyota Solara so on this go round Im doing things a little differently.


When changing the oil, I take it to the dealership and let them do it. My dealership charges me $25 for the oil change when I provide the oil. If you go to the dealership and they want to give you some type of extra services, tell them "All I want is an oil change and tire rotation" and the price should not be more then $50. You can do the rest of the maintenance yourself. For example, the air filter and cabin air filter are do it yourself activities. The dealership will probably try to sell you on an expensive mechanical check service, but you don't need that. One of my friends was charged $300 during one of these visits where all she needed was an oil change and tire rotation. Generally, you want to follow the maintenance guide which came with the car. In this case, you have the maintenance minder. When the maintenance minder comes on, then take it to the dealership and tell them to just change the oil. The only thing I would change in the service intervals is the ATF fluid change. The ATF should be completely changed at 30,000 miles not 60,000. As for air filters and cabin filters change those yourself. If you want the spark plugs changed, then go to an independent garage and tell them "I just want the spark plugs changed." All these places will try to sell you on more then what you really need. Most of the time you really just need an oil change. When in doubt about whats really needed, then leave the repair facility and do research on the internet or go to an independent garage to get a second opinion. You can always come back later to get it done. Look for coupons on the dealerships website and Firestone also has coupons on their website.


The best additional service to get in my opinion is the parking brake adjustment. The parking brake does loosen up over time and its best to get that adjusted for safety purposes. If you do have to use the parking/emergency brake one day then you will be happy that you had it checked and adjusted. When adjusted, the parking brake is real tight and offers the best emergency braking ability possible.

Overall, I do like my car and do not regret getting it. Its a durable car and I plan on taking it to 300,000 miles. If I had to do it over again then I would have gotten a used Prius. The Toyota Prius is ideal for what I do from day to day and has double the gas mileage. The Prius is a very durable car and I have seen many of them with over 200,000 miles and they are used for taxis. However, at the time I had the choice of either buying a used Prius with 45000 miles on it or a new Honda Fit. I didn't want to buy something used when I could have bought new with warranty and no problems so I got the Honda Fit.


The Honda Fit is great for someone who wants a very sporty ride, but also desires something more practical. Its a small car which can be maneuvered into places other cars cant go. The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla are both longer cars by about 20 inches. If you drive like me for work, then quite honestly you want the Toyota Prius, but the Prius is not a sporty ride at all. The sporty ride does come in handy at times for me, but for my purposes I need ultimate gas mileage as that is my main cost from day to day. I also need the longest lasting parts and Toyota is best for that in my experience.


If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a private message.

 

17 k for new pads, holy crap! I'm at 43k, still around 50% material left.

Its good to know even after 125k it still run like a clock.

 

Great review

 

A slight correction to your excellent write up SevereService: because of your report, I went to the Firestone website. The price on the brake pads is actually $90 after a $25 mail in rebate (in my area anyway). They of course will add on some shop fees as well just to nickel and dime, bringing the final total closer to what you said. Nevertheless, this is an excellent deal, and the coupon even says it INCLUDES resurfacing of the rotors (if necessary). Moreover, the coupon can be printed out and does not end until the end of April. So if you have been shopping around like me, there is no rush to get your car in right now. Many dealerships (Toyota and GM) have been running brake deals as well, but their pads are not very good. In fact, when I took my Corolla Vibe to the Toyota dealer, the service manager dissuaded me from getting their pad since Toyota has recently switched suppliers, leaving many Toyota service writers holding the bag as the have to explain to their customers why their replacement pads on the Matrix/Vibe and Corollas are very noisy. So thanks again for your tip. I'll be getting those Wagner pads put on next month unless I find some research stating they too are no good.

 

The Firestone by me is an absolute shark. Myself and my family have been ripped off at the Firestone. What they will do is lure you in with that brake sale and then try to up-sell you on additional services. The Firestone by me will sometimes even add things to the bill without even asking. When I approached them about the things they added on then they became defensive with me. I also saw a few other customers having the same problems as me with the added on items.

My word of advice is always get a written estimate before any work is started. Then tell them up front you only want the work that is on the estimate done.

There are a few add-on services which might be worthwhile. I found the parking brake adjustment to be worthwhile as it will return the parking brake back to its original condition where you pull it slightly and the brake engages. Over the life of the car the parking brake will become looser as you use it. Another worthwhile service is to clean and inspect the rear brakes. They basically open them up, blow them out and check them. The brake fluid needs to be exchanged every 2 years. The manual says 3 years, but I go for 2 years as the brakes are important to me.

So if I was going to Firestone to get my brakes worked on then I would consider the following:

- $99 front brake deal
- parking brake adjustment
- fluid exchange (only if 2 years old)
- rear brake clean/inspection

 

Severe Service,

Why r u spending your $ at a shop that in your words "is a shark?"

Just askin'

 

This particular Firestone dealership is the nearest one to me and the next furthest one is quite a bit away. They are the only guys offering that great brake deal, but the deal is to bait you in and so they can try to up-sell the services.

You can still get the $90 brake deal without having to pay for those extra services. Simply do what I said. Go in there with a firm attitude, tell them exactly what you want and get it in writing. If they try to up-sell you then resist and say all you want is the brake deal.

The Honda dealership nearest me is also sharks, but I have those guys trained by now. I have been to that Honda dealership many times and each time I tell them "I just want an oil change." They have gotten the hint over time and they are now well trained. However, before I trained them they were offering me the A or B service for $99. No way!

The sharky mechanics are everywhere. You just need to be firm, get it in writing and make sure they know you are not going to take their BS.

On a side note, the next question is why dont I get the brakes changed at the Honda dealership. The Firestone place uses Wagner fully ceramic brakes which seem to do the job well and last much longer then the Honda parts. So thats why I say Firestone.

 

I love nyc but man it is hard on vehicles lol you can always tell a car that was from nyc destroyed front and rear bumpers

 

Mavis has brake special for $60 atm. Not sure what kind of brakes are those (ceramic etc.).

 

Am a DIY'r and have been using Mobil 1 all these years. From your write-up, will be giving Kendall a try after finishing my stock (got 7 quarts left). My wife's SUV uses the same weight (0W20). Might have to find a local source as shipping costs to my location might be outrageous.
Few naysayers here on this forum. Most are current/previous owners who have lots of great experiences. I continue to absorb, everytime I surf these threads. Fits are as lovable as a new puppy!!!
Did my own complete brake pad/rotor job late last year and bled the lines. My cost (no labor):
1 of: CRC Disc Brake Quiet 05016, 4 Fl Oz $5.60
1 of: 3M 08880 High Power Brake Cleaner - 14 oz. $7.32
2 of: Centric Parts 121.40021 C-Tek Standard Brake Rotor $19.14 2 $38.28
2 of: OEM Honda 08798-9008 DOT 3 Brake Fluid -12 oz. $7.65 2 $15.30
1 of: Wagner QuickStop ZD621 Ceramic Disc Pad Set, Front $23.35
1 of: Permatex 24124 Ceramic Ext. Brake Parts Lub, 2-4g Pouches $6.36
1 of: Permatex 80078 Anti-Seize Lub with Brush Top Bottle, 8 oz. $7.39
Total before tax: $103.60 TAX: $4.14 Total: $107.74
Will do the auto tranny fluid next month before our trusty Fit goes to my wife's niece. (I'm just a good guy)
RAdar detector in NYC? Wow you must drive like a banshee!!!
Our youngest lives and works in NYC. His version of zero cost car maintenance - walks or takes the subway!!!

 

Here is the protection I added for the New York City streets. The reflectors you can buy at an Autozone or online from Amazon. I added those to give the rear extra reflection. The red reflectors give the car a little bit more reflection, but its not on the same level as DOT C2 tape. I thought the tape would look a bit tacky, so I went with this configuration.






As for Kendall oil, my supplier is the Petroleum Service Company.
Kendall GT-1 Full Synthetic 0w-20 w/ Ti---BUY IT NOW!!!

I dont know if Kendall oil makes any difference over Mobil 1. I use Kendall because its the same oil as Motorcraft and Honda markets at its parts counters. Toyota oil is Mobil 1.

I used Mobil 1 full synthetic purchased from Walmart in my Toyota Solara and it encountered rod knock at 210,000 miles which is the knock of death meaning engine replacement. So this time around I decided to only use Kendall. If you go to any of the oil change places around here, they buy whatever oil is cheapest. I even caught the sharky Firestone place throwing bulk synthetic oil in there versus the Kendall they should have been using.

I guess I am just anal about what brand oil to use and I will admit that may not make a difference, but I guess thats just me. I do notice that when I change the oil the engine seems to run smoother.

I want to make a correction. I have been changing my oil at 7500 miles according to the maintenance minder. I did some research and most vehicle manufacturers say 7500 nowadays, but on their severe service schedule its actually 5000. So if you really want to get the most mileage out of the engine before it does a rod knock then you might consider changing it every 5000 miles.

So our severe service maintenance intervals for the Honda Fit are as follows. If you plan on getting 300,000 miles like I am planning then this may be the best schedule for you:

- Oil change every 5000 miles
- Transmission fluid flush every 30,000 miles
- Brake fluid exchange every 2 years
- Coolant exchange every 100,000 miles
- Spark plugs every 100,000 miles
- Thermostat change every 100,000 miles
- Air filter according to regular schedule every 15000 miles

I noticed some rattling noise in the engine and changed out the air filter. Rattling is gone. Must have been something in there.

 

By the way SevereService, I took my Vibe in for a front brake job at Pep Boys today. I feel like I am light on my brakes because I try to coast to stop signs and lights whenever possible. I guess I was right. After having all the parts ordered up, the mechanic comes out (their best brake guy) and says: "so tell me again why you want a brake job??? You have 50% left on your front pads." That 50% is after 40,000 miles. So, since I was there, I decided to get the $20 per wheel, on car rotor resurfacing done. They did the one wheel and then came out to tell me that the front right rotor was out of round. They tried to use the machine to grind it down to round, but could not. They sent one of their workers across the other side of the delta quadrant to pick up a rotor (which only cost $40). So, instead of a $280 brake job with ceramic pads, new hardware and two discounts to be applied to that price, I walked away with just an $80 bill because they refused to rip me off and do a brake job I didn't need. He probably sanded down the pads as well because my car is stopping better and smoother than ever.
Thanks Manny, Moe and Jack. You really aren't the three stooges after all. I'm expecting my courtesy call from the Pep Boys manager any minute now. He always follows up with a call after any service.
I was not aware that rotors were so inexpensive; the Pro Stop ones anyway. I spent a fortune at my mechanic several years ago getting an "upgraded" set of rotors and ceramic pads. It is clear from today's lesson that the pads are performing very well, but the "upgraded" rotors did not. I have never heard of an out of round rotor; tires yes, but rotors???? While I was there I picked up their Castrol oil and Purolator filter special ($22). It is funny that the Pep Boys coupon on line for an in house oil change is only $20. It now costs me more to do it myself. I still will do so, so I can crawl underneath my cars to see if anything looks weird like a cracked CV boot. Nonetheless, it is nice to know as I get too old to crawl under three cars that oil changes are so inexpensive (with coupon). Some day I'll have to hang it up and rely on these services. For now, I guess it is nice knowing I don't have to wait in line for the service to be performed and I can go out and do it in my driveway at my leisure. Soon, these will be just fond memories.
The Wagner pads used by Firestone did not have a very good rating on the internet. As such, it seems that it is ceramic or nothing. So when I really do need front pads, I'll be ignoring the "get you in the door" brake specials and go with an upgraded ceramic pad. Best of luck in the NYC.

 

I wanted to make an additional note.

In the next 100,000 miles I will probably encounter the exact same issues as I did the first 100,000 miles. So my expectation is for:

- Additional TPMS sensor problems- cost is about $300 per sensor at the dealer
- Another replacement of the fan switch- Im guessing $300
- Another alternator

All of the work was done under warranty at the local Honda dealership, but now I have passed the mileage threshold for the Hondacare warranty. From this point forward, all work on the car will be performed at my local independent mechanic.

 

consider dumping the tire pressure monitors. I did on my Hyundai. They break so easily, so I decided to go with rubber stems. There really is no safe harbor when you neglect your tires. An idiot light is no substitute for checking your tires each time you walk by them (to see a different side of the tread). Pick up the paper in the driveway, look at your tires as you walk back up. You get the idea. I would never blindly hop in my car and turn the key knowing the importance of tires. I always find spikes and debris embedded in my tires well before they take too much air out. And when I go on a highway trip, I'm under the car doing a full examination. While the TPMS light would add even more security to my habits, sadly and all too often, the light only serves as the only line of defense for those who ignore their tires altogether. I now have 3 rubber stems on my Hyundai and I have no plans ever to get them replaced given the TPM aluminum stem's fragile nature.

 

car still looks good after 125k

 

Keep in mind that you are disabling a safety feature on your car. Your insurance could give you a hard time should you be involved in an accident and you have a blow out or low tire pressure. You also could be sued for negligence by passengers in your own or other cars, if you are in an accident judged to be due to low tire pressure on your vehicle. After all, your non TPMS valves indicator that you purposely disabled the system. Also, some states require working TPMS during inspection on vehicles that came with TPMS.

You can buy a TPMS sensor for GE8s for $19.50 each at Rockauto.com right now. Sounds like a nobrainer to me.

 

$300 PER SENSOR?? for tpms installed?

Also, I thought the blower motor itself is less than $300 and an easy diy installation? Is it the switch, or the motor itself which causes the fan to only work in highest mode?


It looks harder to get at the Alternator on the first gen Fit than on the second, is this true?

 

if you ditch the hubcaps you might get 1mpg more...

 

? ? ? ¿ ? ? ?

 

each hubcap weighs about a pound.