09 Sport impressions after 1 year

Inmyrem · #1 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 11:28 AM

So, I haven't really been posting much due to work being incredibly busy all year, but I have been around. I have a two month impressions post here and figured I'd post 1 year impressions since our two 09 Fit Sports just hit our 1 year anniversary mark.

To start, my initial impressions are all still spot on with my current thinking. All the complaints and praises are the same. I'm still averaging 33mpg city when I'm driving strictly city. My highway did change to 36mpg instead of 39 like I had originally stated. My wife's mileage is mostly all city and she tends to average in at 32mpg.

I do have to comment on the trunk space and the fold up seats. I've "fit" so much more in there than I've ever imagined I could and the look on people's faces is absolutely priceless! I've been transporting arcade machines lately. And just yesterday, a large gas grill. The guy at Lowes just stared in disbelief when I took the lid off the grill and slid the whole thing right in!

I've replaced our tinny horns with the lower pitched and louder Civic horn from College Hills Honda, so no more little "beep beep" sounds from our cars.

I only have one complaint to add onto my small original list and that would be the flimsy quality of the door armrests. A thin sheet of molded plastic covered with a thin sheet of fabric, really? When I was getting into my car a few months back, I closed the door and adjusted myself in the seat. I suddenly hear a loud crack. Turns out I managed to crack the plastic for the armrest! My wife just laughed at me and said I should be more careful with our widdle cars.

Our first oil changes were done three months ago. My mileage was at 10,100 and hers was at 9500, since she does more city driving than I do.

That's about it after 1 year of driving. The cars are amazing and still fun to drive!

Cat · #2 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 01:11 PM

Glad to hear that all has gone well for your first year. Yup! You can hurt our cars pretty easily. Mine is a 2007 and still going strong without any
major damage.

Cat :x

matt0807 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 01:24 PM

Had the same problem with the door armrest during a roadtrip to FL, and I only weigh 135 lbs!

robodude · #4 (**permalink**) 10-19-2009, 10:55 PM

Same here about the armrest. Today I got mine replaced under warranty. I'll be careful next time.

pennstater · #5 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:17 AM

13mos and 39,000mi in my '09 MT Sport...

OEM Dunlops are like a baby's ass right now.... 14" Yokohama snows are on rims in my garage to shoot me through the nasty stuff this winter... couldda used them in Feb when I slip into a curb and caused $1200 in front suspension work...

Front fascia looks like Seal... weathered and pocked out.... foggs are both shot out by road debris...

Inside - seat upholstery shows every skin flake and dust particle... OEM carpet mat (driver side) wearing

Shockwave199 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:29 AM

39,000 in 13 months? You do some serious driving. It'll probably take me 4 years to put on that mileage and I hope the shit isn't kicked out of my Fit as yours seems to be. I'll have to get through a winter with mine before I blame you too much for kicking the crap out of it.

Dan

secondspassed · #7 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 01:14 AM

I'm at 46,000 miles in just around 14 months on my AT GD. No major wear and tear, just need to do some cleaning, mostly. It's too bad the GE door arm rests are so crappy, there seems to be an epidemic developing of them cracking.

Uncle Gary · #8 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 10:20 AM

My '09 manual is 8 months old and approaching 12,000 miles. No problems at all since the self inflicted bent fender. This is the first car I've owned that hasn't been back to the dealer for SOMETHING during the first few months of ownership.

My fuel economy was averaging 39+ and has lately dropped to 37+. I attribute this to my driving the car a bit faster lately. I find that over 60MPH, fuel economy starts to drop off (short gearing on the manual). OTOH, the car is just too much fun to drive to take it easy.

Red 05 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 12:27 PM

When I first started driving mine I was getting aound 33-34 mpg. With somewhat of a lead foot, I got a little over 30 on this last tank. I'm amazed that this car can return such awesome economy when my driving style is as efficient as an oil fire. Great little car, worth every penny!

matt0807 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009, 05:15 PM

Cold weather makes a big difference for those of you who haven't driven the fit through a winter yet, it will go down by around 5-10%

canuck901 · #11 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 12:23 AM

i have had 2 09 Fit sports...love them both for travelling around the city, i get just over 305 miles a tank, maybe more once its broken it.
The Bridgestone tires are awesome and the Blue Pearl color is awesome

Shockwave199 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 01:01 AM

I have yet to know exactly how many miles I can get out of a tank. I know I average 31 city, which is great. But I've yet to really push the tank to empty and I don't know that I ever will. Coming from a 14 year old car, I never let the tank go down past a certain point for fear of sucking up muck. That habit is hard to kick, even in a new Fit. So when the needle reaches just under a 1/4 tank, maybe a wee less like pushing an 1/8th, I fuel up. And at that point I'm typically at somewhere around 270 miles, give or take. I suppose if I really pushed it, I could squeeze out 300 but I just can't get past my internal empty mark being shorter than the Fits empty mark.

Dan

canuck901 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 01:08 AM

haha..yep, i have about 1/2 a gallon left when i hit 305 mark..
what oil are you running? im still on the break in oil...still only have 1800 miles on my 2009 fit sport..and luv the car!

Shockwave199 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 01:30 AM

Still running the break in oil at around 1,900 on the car. LOVE mine too! Just yesterday I put it in sport mode and did some RPM pushing- THAT was fun!

Dan

canuck901 · #15 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 01:14 AM

hit 330 miles on a tank...with some room to go...most highway miles...lol
just changed the oil to Mobil 1 5w20 full synthetic..no more break in oil...changed it out at 3100 miles
was 5% left on oil life...

Aviator902S · #16 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 10:05 PM

54,000 kms (about 33,000 miles) on my pearl blue '09 Sport MT, which I purchased on October 10th, 2008 in Calgary AB. The car has been to Saskatoon, San Diego, Vancouver, Fredericton (where I now reside), back to Calgary and then back to NB, PEI, Halifax, Cape Breton Island and Washington DC. Average speed on these trips at cruise hovered at around 70 mph, and fuel economy is typically 34 miles per (U.S.) gallon at these speeds.

The 12V adapter plug on the console is now inoperative, and there does not seem to be a fuse burned out anywhere. Must take to dealer before bumper-to-bumper warranty expires in less than 6000 kms.

One fog lens is broken by road debris and patched with clear vinyl protectant until a reasonably-priced aftermarket replacement is available. Also replaced the windshield ($100 deductible; insurance took care of the remaining $1600 bill) after only a month of ownership when a rock the size of a golf ball fell off a flat deck trailer at highway speed and then made for front row/center of my windshield like it had eyes.

Replaced stock Dunlop 185-55R-16 tires with a set of Kumho 205-50R-16s at 33,000 kms after three of the four Dunlops developed bulges in the sidewalls, one of which ruptured in northern Ontario, forcing me to limp the rest of the way to calgary on the space-saver spare--- a distance of over 1500 miles(!). This failure was no doubt caused by a big-ass six feet wide by two feet across bottomless pothole struck at highway speed en route to Halifax the previous week. There was still 50% tread left on them at that point.

Recently the engine warning light has illuminated. This happens periodically, then goes out on its own. Runs fine though, so I'll have it looked at when I take it in for the 12V power outlet snag.

Vash · #17 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aviator902S

54,000 kms (about 33,000 miles) on my pearl blue '09 Sport MT, which I purchased on October 10th, 2008 in Calgary AB. The car has been to Saskatoon, San Diego, Vancouver, Fredericton (where I now reside), back to Calgary and then back to NB, PEI, Halifax, Cape Breton Island and Washington DC. Average speed on these trips at cruise hovered at around 70 mph, and fuel economy is typically 34 miles per (U.S.) gallon at these speeds.

The 12V adapter plug on the console is now inoperative, and there does not seem to be a fuse burned out anywhere. Must take to dealer before bumper-to-bumper warranty expires in less than 6000 kms.

One fog lens is broken by road debris and patched with clear vinyl protectant until a reasonably-priced aftermarket replacement is available. Also replaced the windshield ($100 deductible; insurance took care of the remaining $1600 bill) after only a month of ownership when a rock the size of a golf ball fell off a flat deck trailer at highway speed and then made for front row/center of my windshield like it had eyes.

Replaced stock Dunlop 185-55R-16 tires with a set of Kumho 205-50R-16s at 33,000 kms after three of the four Dunlops developed bulges in the sidewalls, one of which ruptured in northern Ontario, forcing me to limp the rest of the way to calgary on the space-saver spare--- a distance of over 1500 miles(!). This failure was no doubt caused by a big-ass six feet wide by two feet across bottomless pothole struck at highway speed en route to Halifax the previous week. There was still 50% tread left on them at that point.

Recently the engine warning light has illuminated. This happens periodically, then goes out on its own. Runs fine though, so I'll have it looked at when I take it in for the 12V power outlet snag.

man only 20 thousand miles and the tires are already jacking up? thats not good news for the dunlops... especially how I Just bought mine and it came with unlops =(

canuck901 · #18 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 04:45 AM

yea....the FITS Sports in Canada come with Shitty Dunlop tires....the FItS in the US come with Bridgestone all seasons....So much nicer.
glad my FIT sport is a US model.
love the blue pearl sensation color, its awesome

Aviator902S · #19 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vash

man only 20 thousand miles and the tires are already jacking up? thats not good news for the dunlops... especially how I Just bought mine and it came with unlops =(

Yeah, they're not the greatest treads out there. However, after >20,000 miles they still had 50% tread remaining. What killed them was hitting that huge pothole (on a 4-lane highway! I should have sent the bill to Nova Scotia's Department Of Transportation) at 75 mph. The bulges didn't begin to show until after I'd left for Calgary the following week--- when one front tire popped about 2 hours north of Sault-St. Marie. That's when I noticed that 2 of the three remaining tires were bulged.

The good news is that even though I was forced to limp the rest of the way to Calgary Alberta on the space-saver spare at no faster than 60 mph it gave me an opportunity to see what excellent fuel economy these cars are capable of at slower speeds. I was getting 660 kms (about 412 miles) per tank of gas at this low speed, which translated into 46 miles per imperial gallon.

This would be around 30 miles per U.S. gallon. Not bad for a car driving at a speed that, due to low final-drive gearing, was forced to use 45 of it's potential 117 horses to cruise at that speed.