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Hi all. I recently picked up this super clean '08 Sport with 57k miles from the original owner. I've had it for about a month now and have done some cleaning and basic maintenance only, which is really nice. Aside from the new Dunlop DZ102 tires and Stoptech front brakes installed last week, I'm planning on leaving it stock as it's my daily and only replacing what breaks. Call me crazy, but the car *kind of* reminds me of a Mk I GTI (if any of you have driven one ). It's a zippy, agile, inside-rear-wheel-lifting, under-powered, no frills, fun to drive econobox with great storage space and killer visibility that can easily be driven at 9/10. Perfect!
(*I think I bought mine in the wrong color though, Vivid Blue Pearl looks so good...)
Thanks! It is a manual. I found that the slushbox was just too limiting on driveability. Plus the added headache of the auto chassis when swapping to a K20 played a factor as well. It's doubtful that I will swap this car, it should stay stock, but the next car will be getting the upgrade. IMO Honda should have developed a K15-16 for the Sport, the ~105 hp L15 just isn't enough to really make the car pop. Oh well.
Sorry to hear about your VBP! Hopefully you fared well when all was said and done.
Nice ride!!! I have an 07 SSM 5MT GD Fit and love it. I originally wanted black but when I saw it on the lot, I really liked the colour. Now I'm glad I bought the storm silver metallic and not black. I had all the windows tinted at 20% and it really made it pop!
IMO Honda should have developed a K15-16 for the Sport, the ~105 hp L15 just isn't enough to really make the car pop. Oh well.
I really like the drivability of the engine though. I've driven all kinds of JDM spec Honda's (amongst other things) as that is what we get most here in NZ and to be honest I think they got the engine bang on for the Fit's target driver base. I'd love to drive one in manual though to see the true "character" of the engine as the CVT smooths it all out into one long torque curve.
If I were to class the Fit RS I'd say it borders on a hot hatch as it looks and handles bloody good.
K20 swap would be truely mental, I know where there's a DC5 type R sitting around undriven for the past 5 years (CRIMINAL). We dyno'd his car once when we were tuning another and the power the stock K20 puts out is unbelievable
Nice ride!!! I have an 07 SSM 5MT GD Fit and love it. I originally wanted black but when I saw it on the lot, I really liked the colour. Now I'm glad I bought the storm silver metallic and not black. I had all the windows tinted at 20% and it really made it pop!
Thanks! I agree that the SSM definitely needs tint. I don't mind driving a fish bowl but the sun and heat here in Florida makes tint a necessity for ease of life. Especially for a DD. So black was never an option for me! Haha
Originally Posted by autech91
I really like the drivability of the engine though. I've driven all kinds of JDM spec Honda's (amongst other things) as that is what we get most here in NZ and to be honest I think they got the engine bang on for the Fit's target driver base. I'd love to drive one in manual though to see the true "character" of the engine as the CVT smooths it all out into one long torque curve.
If I were to class the Fit RS I'd say it borders on a hot hatch as it looks and handles bloody good.
K20 swap would be truely mental, I know where there's a DC5 type R sitting around undriven for the past 5 years (CRIMINAL). We dyno'd his car once when we were tuning another and the power the stock K20 puts out is unbelievable
Go find one with a manual! Aside from the additional driver input and sensory benefit of rowing gears, the 5spd is a very welcomed upgrade to the otherwise subdued auto.
Fair enough, and I do agree that the L15 is well suited for city life and the majority of the customer focus, but picture the car with ~135hp stock... And just the bump for the Sport models, a la the Fiat 500 / Abarth, or Golf / GTI, or countless other base / sport model comparisons. It just needs that slight extra boost from the factory to match the styling and already great handling characteristics. So needless to say, even a K20A3 would do nicely!
*We all can assume Honda's reasoning for not hopping up the Sport though, performance would border too closely to the Civic and potentially infringe upon sales. Even though IMO, without a Civic hatch offered at the time, they are in two different market segments. Especially with the Civic's physical growth over the generations. Luckily there's us in the aftermarket to tailor as we see fit!
Last edited by idrivemyself; 02-24-2017 at 09:47 AM.
Wow.
That does seem super clean and straight for an 08.
And only 57K from the original owner?
Well it could be super deal. Enjoy.
I use to have an elderly aunt...who didn't drive a whole lot. She would buy a car, and drive it 6-10 years, and put very little mileage on it, all the while maintaining it very well. ALWAYS...with less than 60,000 miles on the vehicle she would decide it was time to get another...even when the vehicle was in perfectly good operational shape.
I was too young to buy her "used" vehicle from her.
And she would always get ripped off trading it in.
I tried to explain to her, that it wasn't the 1960's, and she could probably drive the vehicle a LOT LONGER....but her feeling was based on chronological passage of time. So she gave away for peanuts a lot of great vehicles.
You may have similar deal here...good luck...it's a great vehicle.
Yep! 57k from the original owner and he wasn't an old lady either. Thankfully they don't make cars like they used to, I'm generally a fan of current safety features and a decent mix of fuel mileage and power.
I did it. I made up my mind this past weekend and put the Fit up for sale. This one just isn't right for me, it's too nice. With the low mileage and overall excellent condition, it's too perfect of an original driver for me to impose my goals of what I want a GD for. And so it needs an owner who will enjoy it for what it is. Rather than myself who wants to drop a K20 in it, and change the suspension, change the brakes, change the seats, change the radio, change the looks and etc...
The price is OBO and I'm happy to work with out of state buyers, the Tampa airport is the closest to fly in to but I'll meet someone at the Orlando airport as well. I'm also open to trades for another GD Sport 5MT as I will be buying another one after this.
Go find one with a manual! Aside from the additional driver input and sensory benefit of rowing gears, the 5spd is a very welcomed upgrade to the otherwise subdued auto.
Fair enough, and I do agree that the L15 is well suited for city life and the majority of the customer focus, but picture the car with ~135hp stock... And just the bump for the Sport models, a la the Fiat 500 / Abarth, or Golf / GTI, or countless other base / sport model comparisons. It just needs that slight extra boost from the factory to match the styling and already great handling characteristics. So needless to say, even a K20A3 would do nicely!
*We all can assume Honda's reasoning for not hopping up the Sport though, performance would border too closely to the Civic and potentially infringe upon sales. Even though IMO, without a Civic hatch offered at the time, they are in two different market segments. Especially with the Civic's physical growth over the generations. Luckily there's us in the aftermarket to tailor as we see fit!
I'd love a manual but one of the wife's conditions was it HAD to be auto, so CVT it was. The CVT is growing on me though, once you get used to the baaaaaahhhhhhh.
I took it on a road trip on the weekend into the hills on a twisty NZ road. Even though was wet and found it great through the twistys and had just enough overtaking grunt to do the business, even took a Porsche Cayenne!
In short I think for a 1500cc SOHC engine it's a work of art! Any further power they give it would no doubt involve sacrificing some of the down low grunt which is quite impressive, the fact that I can hit 50kmph without going over 1500rpm and in a respectable amount of time is pure witch craft! Considering my heavily modified Nissan Pulsar used to idle around 1500!
Sure, it isn't a terrible engine but Honda already had a 1500cc SOHC engine in the D15 that certain versions had higher power levels than the L15, but was born in the late '80s and early-mid '90s! So ~15 years later I hope that Honda would do more than just make a chain drive D15, that's all. But I'm glad that you enjoyed the drive and are happy with the car! I just want to put a K20 in mine to be happy.
Sure, it isn't a terrible engine but Honda already had a 1500cc SOHC engine in the D15 that certain versions had higher power levels than the L15, but was born in the late '80s and early-mid '90s! So ~15 years later I hope that Honda would do more than just make a chain drive D15, that's all. But I'm glad that you enjoyed the drive and are happy with the car! I just want to put a K20 in mine to be happy.
Don't blame ya the K20 is a bonkers engine! Way more refined than the B series VTECs off cam.
Man, that is a great deal and great looking GD. If I was in the hunt for another car...I'd definitely consider it...even having it shipped to CA haha. Unfortunately my kid isnt of driving age until 2019 so car shopping is not on the agenda....yet.
Best of luck with the sale and hope you find something more suitable for your plans.
Man, that is a great deal and great looking GD. If I was in the hunt for another car...I'd definitely consider it...even having it shipped to CA haha. Unfortunately my kid isnt of driving age until 2019 so car shopping is not on the agenda....yet.
Best of luck with the sale and hope you find something more suitable for your plans.
Thanks! Tell your kid to hurry up and age! Haha. Or you always could put it in storage and have a nice survivor car to drive in a few years.
It is going to be a great GD for whoever picks it up. I'm not doing myself any favors in the meantime by already looking for the next one and getting my mods list in order... Come on new owner!
02-22-2017, 10:55 AM
). It's a zippy, agile, inside-rear-wheel-lifting, under-powered, no frills, fun to drive econobox with great storage space and killer visibility that can easily be driven at 9/10. Perfect!
