Pardon the strange question but I'm considering the Fit as one of the choices for a fuel-efficient but fun car to take the place of my SUV as a daily-driver. I use the SUV to tow my sportbike to trackdays which is why I'm going to keep it but I'd like something else that's less costly and friendlier to the environment to drive on a daily basis. In addition to the SUV I have a Nissan GT-R for my weekend toy and that's the reason why I ask the question.

I learned to drive with small cars with only about 110hp or so and sometimes I miss the fun of driving a slow car fast. I'm hardly a big car snob but the last car I owned with less than 275hp was a Sentra SE-R Spec V from over 6 years ago that still had 175hp so I'm worried about buying a small car like the Fit and finding it too lacking in the power department after getting used to higher-horsepower cars and superbikes for so long. I had initially convinced myself that I needed at least 170ish hp but while vacationing in the Philippines I saw a lot of customized Jazzes and that brought the Fit back into consideration (I've always liked the look of the GE Fits). If I do get one, it'd probably be a manual since I miss having a stick-shift from time to time.

So if anyone else has a Fit and is also lucky enough to have a fast toy on the side I'd like to hear from you guys on how fun the Fit has been (or not if that's the case).

Thanks.

 

The GE is geared pretty tight, with the 5MT at least, and I, too, am used to faster toys. While it lacks top end (completely), getting up and going in traffic, I've never really felt wanting. Just remember it's no GT-R, and enjoy Mark W.

 

Other car is a 2006 STi.... yum!


MAnny

 

i have a bigger slower stronger hatchback...

06 v8 4x4 4runner

 

Please tell me what your job is and where can I apply? Haha...well if you find the speed of the Fit lacking, you could fabricate your own FI kit...we have some very knowledgeable people on the forum that's more than willing to take you there. Would be nice to have some weekend toys and a home built FI Fit.

Now that's beast

 

I have a 418whp VTSC AP2 in my garage, used to be my daily driver until the gas prices started hitting home. Don't miss the power, I know why I bought my GE8. The gas savings between my car and my wife's Lexus GX470 is close enough to pay for the monthly loan on the fit. Both me and wife love it.

 

I have a 250 Ninja!!



The Fit and the Ninjette seem to have the same soul....

 

As long as you get a 5 speed you'll be content with it as a daily driver. Of course you'll miss the extra power but first time you pull into a gas station all will be forgotten. My SVT would average 21mpg on premium gas, the Fit is 37mpg on regular. Fill ups take fewer gallons, lower price per gallon while getting 125 more miles per tank. win,win,win. Cut my gas cost in half.

Funny you mentioned keeping your SUV to haul your bike. I bought my Fit to haul my bike as the SVT had no trailer hitch options due to stock body kit. I'm hoping to get ~30mpg pulling a lightweight trailer and bike. Keep your total pull weight under a 1,000lbs and the Fit is capable hauler.

_

 

I just went from a "fast" car, because of gas my self. I found that the fit is not too bad and I got used to the lack of acceleration and top end power fairly quickly. Its a great little car to save gas with, which is why i got it. And as you said coming from my mustang with the amount of gas i save i can afford the fit's payments. Just remember that the GT-R has 4x the power of the fit.

 

I currently ride a 2002 yamaha FZ-1.Since I'm an old geezer,most people assume I ride a harley if the bike question comes up.I guess when it's time to slow down I would consider that if someone gave me one.Like Clint Eastwood said,"a man's got to know his limitations"

 

Thanks for the replies guys! I forgot to mention that I've test-driven an auto Fit before when my sister was considering one but I guess I'm gonna have to give the 5MT a go then.

Another question I had is, has anyone found the Fit wanting in the mountains when loaded up, like say with three or four passengers? I drive to San Diego and LA frequently which means going through mountain passes to get there.

I'm a doctor so the money's good but you might not want the headaches that come with the job lol!

I'd love an FI Fit and would have gotten a Fit already if there were a bolt-on system already available like for the GD. Since it's gonna be a daily-driver I'd rather have a more proven system than a more custom one

I started out and even did my first trackday on a Ninja 500. Now I have an SV for track duties and a GSX-R750 for poseur use lol but I've always liked the little Ninjettes. That's actually one more reason why the Fit intrigues me - like you said, the Fit and 250 are similar in the sense that you really have to drive/ride them to get them going and as a lot of people will say, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow lol!

I wish I could go with a lightweight trailer but since I live 200 miles away from the nearest track and sometimes have to haul 2 bikes I use an enclosed trailer. Bit much for the Fit unfortunately lol!

 

As for making the Fit faster via FI, I'd honestly say keep it simple, and remove weight. You could easily pull out 1-200 lbs. and have a much better effect on performance that adding 40 WHP, and even have a more fuel-efficient vehicle Good things come to those who (lose) weight Mark W.

 

Or do both

FWIW I would much rather have the +40-50WTQ for passing power that comes with the 40WHP on a given FI system.

FI makes any given engine more efficient by the way, thats the whole point of FI actually.

Without yanking the passenger front and rear seats where do you propose we could strip 200lbs without tin-canning the car? Most of us have passengers and cargo to ferry around...

 

I've never driven my Fit in the mountains but it seems to have adequate power on the highway. Not a great highway car IMO. It's fine but the Fit seems much happier zipping around town or on some back roads.

I've had a few fast cars, mostly Audis but I did have a 1992 Porsche 911. It's fun to get the most out of the Fit. They are very entertaining to drive.

 

Forced induction doesn't make the engine more efficient- it just shoves air through it.
And to get out 100 pounds easy, pull the backseat, install a set of sport seats, and throw out the spare. Done. A few more pounds could be shed via lightweight wheels. After that, lightweight battery, radio/sound system and A/C can go, but those last two are up to you That'd probably be good for 150 pounds or so right there, if my maths are correct. Not for everyone, but not exactly stripping it for the first 100 or so. The backseat can be thrown back in in a few minutes by a vaguely handy fellow if needed, and bang- you're back in the game Mark W.

Edit: while I agree with the extra torque, I'd still rather not have the temptation to speed Can NOT afford any tickets Mark W.

 

Well my Fit is the comfy car.. so A/C and seats are all staying. My weekend/track car has just shy of 6 times the power the fit does and weighs just as much.

I was wondering how you would keep the car practical and shed 100+ lbs. Without some real compromises, A/C being one of them when it gets to 90F and 90% humidity and I need to not sweat in nice clothes.

So without turning it into a compromise or a tin can.. FI is the way to go and it does in fact increase the engine's efficiency. When done properly there is no sacrifice in reliability either.

We can save the how's and why's for another thread so as not to muck this one up, but an easy example of this are all the FI Fits already on this board returning the same mileage under comparable driving.

Yet when you put your toe in it you can return twice the power or more depending on the setup. Merely creating supernatural VE alone is increasing the efficiency of the engine (itsself an air pump) by definition.

A considerably greater brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) with only a marginal increase in brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) means that the efficiency of the engine has increased..

So for most of us who have passengers and stuff to carry dropping interior weight can only do so much.

Dropping rotational, reciprocating or unsprung mass however.. that is where the real gains are on this car while keeping it practical. So we definitely agree there!

 

We have a Fit for daily go-fering and an 06 Vette (Close to the GT-R but not no finicky, aka transmisiion limitations)to play with on track. Plus a couple of others so I don't get bored.
The Fit is indeed a fun car on track if you set it up right. See "Fit leading..." on you tube. The Fit is noticeably understeering so de-activating the front sway bar is a good consideration as is 7" wide rims with 45 mm offset and 195 to 205 section tires with reasonably low aspect tires. Better shocks are a big help, too.
For street and track the 19/55x15 Dunlop star Direzzos seem to be the best now unless you want to go with race ties for the street Hoosiers etc. Then a little lowering is advisable, but not over 1.5"
The only way to learn how to drive competitively is with an underpowered car, like a Sprite. Teaches you not to give anything away cause you never get it back. Unlike with a Z06. Brian Redmond said it best: its not how fast you but how not slow you go. drivers who look like they are just cruising are often the fastest.

 

I run a Z06 for the weekends. Fit makes a good DD... but you're right it's definitely no ball of fire. Even if you FI it, you're still looking at something that would be hard pressed to do less than 15 in a 1/4mi, and will prolly never pull more than 1g on a skidpad.

 

It'll go through a slalom faster than your vette.

Also a Yaris pulls over 1g with grippy tires and coilovers

 

So will a scooter.