Coming from a '97 Mustang Cobra, I never had to worry too much about handling (other than typical Mustang behavior).

I'd like to figure out what I can do to make my Fit (my daily driver) hold the road better. However I really don't have time to make a "project" out of it. IE, I'm probably going to have to hand it to a shop to do some work.

What sorts of things can I get done? And how much can I expect to spend doing it. I'd like to keep it under $500-1000 as I have some soundproofing I also need to invest in.

 

first get better tires.

 

The Dunlops aren't good? I'm looking at some 17" rims (hoping they're still available) which means new tires too....

 

Tires are an little help (especially if you get a lower profile tire) but I have to say lowering your car will help handling the most. Def. best bang for the buck.
I am lowered on Tanabe DF210's and this car handles 10x better than stock. If you really want to make it better I would buy coilovers. Then (when they come out) front strut brace then rear strut brace and of course better tires.
Just to let but due to the car being so tall and narrow the car will never handle like a true sports car but it will be pretty darn close with all aftermarket goodies.

 

Tires will make a HUGE improvement. Get 205/45/17 or 205/50/16. Then get some coilovers.

 

Sticky or semi-sticky street tires mounted on lightweight wheels.

That alone made the largest difference in the handling of my fit. It seriously feels like a different car whenever I swap back the stock tires and wheels.

Someone with a lot more track experience than I once told me "start from the wheels, pick rubber that fits, then work your way in."

 

more grippy tires and tanabe GF210s will be excellent!

 

+1 on start with tires, first. 205/50/16 might not be a night and day difference by itself, but based on the info from other threads, and some shopping of my own, there's much better cuts in that measurement...those together make a sizeable difference. Again, that's based on the info I've been gathering from this and other sites...including some dudes who've posted in here. No tried-and-true experience with this particulary car...but i've done the tires 1st approach to several other cars, and all the motorcycles i've own....I'd say I was highly impressed in most cases.

 

I guess I'm a rare one that feels the fit handles well, stock. I drove the expressway yesterday in nasty rain and it did very well too, on stock Dunlops. Making the fit handle better isn't even on my radar. Maybe I'm too easy to please.



Dan

 

Depends on yer previous car, perhaps. I had a long run with a full-sized van, so to me, driving this Fit feels like being in a racing kart...somewhat.

 

another vote for tires.

suspension will help as well, but the more costly.

 

I was in the same position as you and everyone told me to install Tanabe NF 210 Lowering springs, but the ride was worse than stock.

Then, a local technician told me to install a set of full coilovers and in about 2 hours, my car sat firm on the road. They go nice with my Good Year F1 205/50/16 tires.

Job Done

 

I'm with you. Mine handles way better than the stock '99 Civic I used to run as a daily driver. When I need tires, I'll probably upgrade to a 205 width, mostly because there are more choices, but for now I'm satisfied with the Sport's handling.

 

The word sport is just a marketing ploy to sell the more expensive cars. It's not really a sport.


I have the middle model option in Thailand which is $2,500 cheaper than the top model sport. I fitted a full Mugen Body kit, full mugen leather interior, 16" mags with good year F1 tires and a full set of coilovers, paddel shift and other bits with the money I saved. I think that will match the word Sport better.

 

Sport looking is more like it.

I find that my father's car (he bought an 09 GE8 sport) handles worse than my base (2009 ge8) did when it was stock. With some wider tires, it handles 2x better. Now with the mugen suspension, it's somewhere like 5x more nimble. I can take corners at speeds he can't even dream of, even with VSA enabled.

The added weight of the sport-looking model really hampers the nimble-ness. Even though it's only about 170 lbs, it's still a lot of weight for the car. If I could lose 170 lbs in my base, I would be one really happy camper.

Besides, he scrapes on everything, at stock height. I'm lowered almost an inch, and I don't scrape on anything.

 

wouldn't vsa enabled hamper the cars limits? every recent test of any sporty type car i have read indicated better numbers are achieved when electronic nannies are not in the way.

the stock sport has great steering feel, and good body roll control.

but the tires are uber crap, tiny and barely grip at all.

why do you think the ge8's stopping distance is significantly greater than the gd3? its not weight, its the craptastic tires/tire size honda shod the new fit with.

205's on some wider 16's would do worlds, and i agree with others that TIRES are probably the biggest handling enhancer. (not lowering springs. unless you pairing them with dampers, chances are you have kept body roll more in check, but have not really increased your handling prowess. maybe confidence though.)

alas, there are no real good tires available in the stock sport size.

 

If I could do only one thing with my car, I would go for a set of coilovers.

 

The electric nanny does get in the way for an experienced driver. It definitely feels different with the VSA disabled.

The increased braking distance is a direct result of lack of tire traction. Once I put the direzza star specs on my car, I can stop on a dime. Add Hawk HPS pads, and now I can stop on the edge of a dime.

Tires first. Tires first. Tires first. Tires first. Say it with me. Tires first.

Pick wheels that you like, find some that fit, then pick the rubber to go on them. Outside and work your way in. Light, wide wheels, combined with light stick tires. I wouldn't go any wider than 6.5" wheels on a stock GE8, there's just no need for any wider with the power the stock GE8 makes.

Remember that all of your cars systems come together in only four points on the car, totaling less than two sq. ft. You want that to be worth every square inch, there's no sense in wasting effective contact patch because the wide tires you got aren't worth a damn.

I would chose tires.

 

The tires on the GE aren't too bad for daily driving, just not wide enough for extra grip.

ForceFit only has betwen $500 - $1000. Look around for a seconhand set of Mugen Suspension like yours. That should stiffen things up.

 

well typed!