Hello! Newbie questions from new 08 Fit owner

[byteflow]

Hello, y'all. I'd lurked on this forum for a few days before pulling the trigger and going for a new 08 Blackberry Pearl Fit Sport AT. It's mainly for my wife, but I suspect I'll be driving it more than a few times - its so much fun. You have a great community here, and glad to see so many Fit freaks.

I have a couple of newbie questions. Any input will be appreciated.

- I've noticed the Fit (maybe because of its light weight) tends to follow the grooves in the freeway, or tends to get buffeted in strong winds. So one needs to constantly steer it straight. Is that normal ?

- Do you think going in for bigger wheels will help the above ? i.e. do bigger wheels mean more stability ? If so, any recommendations ? I'm not a racer or modder, and lookswise I'm happy with the stock wheels on the Sport, but if there's something to be gained in stability and road grip, I might consider it. Where does one get new wheels if one wants them ?

- Finally, I realized we need some accessories. Most basic being floor mats that the car apparently comes without! Should I just get them from the dealer, or are there other places where I can get better deals ?

Sorry if that was too many questions. Like I said I'm a newbie, and any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks y'all.

[r81]

Originally Posted by byteflow

- I've noticed the Fit (maybe because of its light weight) tends to follow the grooves in the freeway, or tends to get buffeted in strong winds. So one needs to constantly steer it straight. Is that normal ?

maybe lowering it to keep less air underneath the car from lifting it up will help.

[Kelmar]

You can get OEM floor mats from Genuine Honda Accessories, News, and Information from College Hills Honda They are extremely polite, helpful and accurate. I would highly recommend them. I ordered my all-season mats through them and got them within a week.

I've only owned my Fit for less then a month but I also have noticed the steering to be "jumpy" for lack of better words. I think it's the nature of the beast though. I'll let others chime in on this one.

[Snap Fit]

The winds slapping you around like a WOMAN SCORNED has more to do with is broadness and height relative to its weight (its certainly not a light car). It has a slight case of the VW bus syndrome. My 01 civic coupe weighed the same and it hardly ever got knocked around but it was sleeker, longer, and had lower stance.
If you guys ever get the chance look at the fit from the right or left rear 3/4 views and you will notice that the sides of the car tilt progressively more vertical as you get towards the front of the car. Its impressive how not leaned in the sides are and yet it doesnt look like a bus!

Going for bigger wheels may not help much if at all. One thing to consider with modifications is that handling gains tend to put in more controlled reaction at any given input. Many cars feel easy going or not bothered by things simply because they are a bit on the sluggish handling side. The Fit is rather nimble, so you could make it less nimble or more nimble and tight. It still has a relatively short wheelbase and moding it really wont change that.

There is really more of an adjustment phase rather than just a mod fix.

welcome to FitFreak by the way...

Silly me....Im always a few steps behind, I know this one guy right...and he weighs a ton! Never been in a car with him that felt squirrely!

[Steeldog]

Originally Posted by byteflow

Hello, y'all. ... Thanks y'all.

As a fellow Southerner, I would like to commend you on your correct spelling and punctuation of the word "y'all". It seems like everyone who writes this word puts the apostrophe between the A and the first L, which would make it a contraction for "ya will" and not "you all". Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Welcome to our group.

Yes, the Fit is subject to a bit of buffeting. As Snap Fit said, it's light and tall, so it sort of acts like a sail. Nothing you can do to change that, but you will get used to it.

For me, the biggest thing to get used to was the incredibly quick steering. On the interstate before, in my Camry, I could sort of keep the nose pointed in a general direction, and the car was not going to drift into another lane. Not so with the Fit; that shorter wheelbase, plus the placement of the wheels at the far corners of the car, make for quick lane changes, and you have to really get used to watching out for it.

One other thing: if your car is that new, you might check the tire air pressure. I got my car from the dealer, and it seemed a little harsh. I checked the pressure after a couple of days, and there was waaay too much air in the tires, and not equally so from tire to tire, either.

[kenchan]

bigger wheels will not help tramlining cause your sidewalls will be shorter
causing it to tramline even more if your offset is aggressive.

im not sure if i recall the car tramlining in stock form. i dont think it did.

i got my a/s floormats from here collegehillshonda.com

[byteflow]

Thanks a ton everyone for your advice. I think I'll stick with the stock wheels for now.

@ Steeldog: Yeh, I'm bugged by that misspelling myself . Good to see a fellow Southerner here.

Take care and drive safe!

[TOOL]

1-Yes its very common for light weight small cars to kinda blow around on the freeway. the Fit is actually the most stable car in its class when it comes to freeway stability, coming from a toyota echo the Fit rolls down the freeway like a Lexus LS lol.

2-A sway bar will cut down the freeway drifting is what i hear.

3-Go to the dealer and get the all weather mats, they are worth every penny.

Hope this helped!

Tyler

[Firebat666]

i have noticed a bit of blowing around on the highway... but actualy my parents hybrid civic is worse... with reguards to the mats... i got them and have had them in every honda vehicle my family has owned... they hold up well and are easy to clean. one other thing to concider... wheel locks... a few weeks ago several ppl had said their wheels were stolen... wheel locks are mad cheap compaired to new rims/tires... gl wit the Fit!