Hello fellow fit owners!

I am moving from the east coast to the west coast and just bought an old 2007 fit with the hopes that it’ll carry me and my stuff successfully across the country. There’s a significant amount of rust on the car and the muffler and battery needed to be replaced but otherwise seems okay. I don’t know much about car maintenance but from my research a fit seemed like a good bet for an old cheaper car to survive a trip like this.

anyway a few days after buying the car is cranking multiple times before starting, one time I had to try multiple times with 5-10 cranks before it caught and started. The engine also smells (I think sort of a burning rubber smell, not sure how to place) after starting and the low temp gauge comes on for like 40 seconds. While it idles the car kind of quivers and shakes slightly for the first few minutes. Coolant level is normal I think (or high if anything). Oh and it’s manual transmission.

I’m planning to take it to a mechanic tomorrow to see what he says, hoping it’s a cheap fix, but wanted to see if anyone has any input on basic simple things I should check. The car sat without being driven for a long time so maybe that’s part of it? Anyway would be very grateful for any ideas or advice, planning to leave on my trip soon so want to minimize risk of problems while on the road. Thanks so much.

 

While I applaud your initiative, and am all for keeping older cars on the road, this probably wasn't the best idea you've ever had. Even if you are an experienced mechanic it's a coin-flip that some random nearly 20-year-old car you know little about will survive a long trip.

1) The rust you see (e.g., body panels, fender lips) usually isn't a problem in the short-term, but if you see a lot of cosmetic rust you can almost certainly bet that the structural components of the car that you don't see without closer inspection are also badly rusted and potentially unsafe.

2) Folks reading your questions can offer any number of suggestions about the various issues this car might have in relation to problems starting, idling, shaking, and smelling, but the real-life mechanic you're visiting tomorrow who will actually see and drive the car is an infinitely more useful resource. I will note that the cold temperature light should come on when you start the car (i.e., when it's cold) and go off once the coolant warms past approximately 130F, so that is not something you should worry about.

3) If you're very, very lucky most of the issues you're experiencing relate to the car sitting for a long time and will be resolved by driving the car. As noted above, the real-life mechanic will determine your fate tomorrow. For future reference, you can also get a car inspected by a mechanic before you buy it.

4) As far as advice goes, if I had a time machine my advice to someone who presumably didn't own a car, admits to not knowing much about auto maintenance, and wants to drive across the country would be to rent one. Instead of a rusted-out, potentially dangerous, potentially unreliable, nearly 20-year-old car you would be in a new car with new tires, brakes, suspension, modern safety features, a more comfortable ride, and a more comfortable and quieter interior. I don't know what you paid for this Fit, but I would bet a dollar that you'll end up paying more to make it reliable than it would have cost to rent a small or mid-size car for a week or two.

One way or another, I suspect you're in for a big adventure. Good luck.

 

That's fair. The gamble of what I'm doing definitely isn't lost on me, but given a very limited budget and the unexpected life situation Ive found myself in (got hurt at my warehouse job and lost the job, heading to a state where I can get healthcare and have friends in between I can stay with and an electric piano I care about that I'm hoping to bring along) I decided to roll the dice a bit.

I did have the car inspected by a mechanic before I bought it, though I don't know how thorough he was in retrospect. He told me the rust was significant but the car should last a few years especially with some scrubbing and an undercoat. I sent pictures to a friend of mine who works at a shop and he agreed so that's why I ended up buying the car for 2600.

Like I said did have to replace the muffler and battery right away but was hoping that'd be it at least for a little, hoping this is something not too expensive but yea will see what the mechanic says tomorrow.

Will drive it as much as I can this week before I actually leave (if I'm still able to) to hopefully get it back used to being driven again? Anyway appreciate your thoughts and well wishes!

 

Folks with money rarely understand how expensive it is to not have money.

When I was younger I spent a week sleeping in my car behind a repair shop in rural Montana. Why? My engine dropped a pressed-in valve seat (great idea early-1990s Ford) into a cylinder. Luckily there was no piston or cylinder damage, but I needed a replacement head for $1100. I had enough money to fix the car or to pay for a motel (or I guess my third option was to abandon the car and make my way back home to the Midwest), but couldn't afford both. My second bit of luck was that the owner took pity on me and let me sleep in my car behind the shop (and use the bathroom inside) while waiting a few days for the replacement head to arrive. It all worked out in the end as my dad kept driving the car for another 150K miles after I moved overseas.

If you got a pre-purchase inspection you might also be in luck. I will cross my fingers for you.

 

Ouch. Truly sorry for your situation.

Hopefully your visit with the mechanic will help you assess what to do next.

The 2007 Fit can be a great car if maintained properly. Yours hasn't been. If you were just puttering around town with it, I'd say to hang in there and attack issues as they arise. But cross-country while loaded down with all your possessions is not something I would do or recommend for others.

Please keep us posted on how you proceed. Many of us on this forum will be hoping for the best.

 

I appreciate the responses and crossed fingers. Mechanic determined it was a bad starter, and also replaced all the spark plugs and one engine coil. Cost almost 500 altogether. He said the exhaust smell from the vents was from a small exhaust leak that I probably don’t need to worry about. I drove it (gently) from nyc to Philly today and it made the trip fine, though I do feel like there’s still a little shaking/trembling in the engine. I do have AAA so am hoping it’ll limp it’s way across with me and my stuff and if it needs a little more work along the way I’ll figure it out, but feel free to tell me I should abandon this plan and car if that seems obvious to anyone. I thought the car had good maintenance history (one owner, consistent oil changes throughout its life) but I guess the past couple years of just sitting and collecting rust didn’t serve it well. I’m supposed to leave for DC tomorrow. Would also take any advice with how to drive it as gentle as I can/give it the best odds I can, been trying not to push it too far above (or below) 3k rpm’s but curious if there’s anything more specific I should try to pay attention to. Thanks again for the advice

 

If I had to guess I would say coil packs, plugs and a valve adjustment for the shaking/long start up. I also have a feeling you are burning coolant somewhere as I've seen that cause a long start up/shaking. Good luck and make sure to keep us updated!

 

I think you made a great decision. Check the valves like the sticky says. Mine were out of whack, caused a lot of vibrations at idle.