Hey Fit Community! I am a car enthusiast, and have always been involved in forums for the cars we own. Back in my college days (graduated in 2009) I was big into Hondas/Acura. I've owned late 80's thru late 90's Civics, 1995 Integra GSR (probably the perfect car imho) early 2002 CRV and 06 Pilot. I was always impressed with the fit/finish of the exterior and interior of Honda's prior to 2000. Especially the GSR, the interior on that was really nice.

The 02 CRV impressed me less then the 90's era honda's and the 06 Pilot was of similar disappointment to the CRV. Fit and finish of the exterior was still top notch, but the interior materials had really declined, and I was having a fair amount of mechanical issues. CRV A/C compressor grenaded and ruined the AC system, then it developed a nasty oil leak from the bottom end somewhere. At 70k miles our Pilot ejected a spark plug when we were 4 hours from home on a family trip. After in helicoil it worked, but never started right and I lost trust in it.

So we traded in the Pilot for a 2011 Sienna w/ 40k miles . I was not impressed with the interior on that as well (SE model which isn't anything special) but that van has been fantastic. It has had a few issues, which have all been covered under Toyota's generous extended warranty programs. My wife loves the room. It's a keeper (knocks on wood). We then bought a large pop up camper that the Sienna wasn't happy towing, so I looked for a Toyota SUV. I ended up finding a Lexus GX470 creampuff that has also been great. They didn't mess around when they spec'd materials on the Lexus. 215k miles, lots of towing our travel trailer, and not a squeak or rattle, and most of the contact points could still pass for new, even with two kids and two 80lb labs spending their fair share of time in it.

A recent job change had me commuting 50 miles round trip every day, and I just felt bad dumping that much fuel into the Lexus, so I started searching for an economic used car. A Prius we could afford scared me off due to the likelihood of needing a new battery, and the Honda Fit looked to fit the bill perfectly. I could easily transport the kids, would fit both dogs w/ the seats folded down (meaning no dog mess on the rear seats. Fit's my XXL 29er w/ the wheel off, etc.

I found an excellent used example that had spent it's life in Florida under the ownership of an elderly lady. So the 09 Fit Sport AT was loaded onto a uhaul trailer and came home with me. While the interior and exterior are in excellent condition, it became apparent that while service records showed the first owner was a good Honda owner (all work done on time, at the dealership) the second owner who I bought it from drove it a lot for two years, and likely just changed the oil. More on that later.

Now after having gone through the car with a fine tooth comb, identifying all the maintenance that was needed, and driving it for a while, I am ready to share my opinion on the Fit. Again, exterior fit and finish is excellent. Panel gaps are on par with the best of them, and it's aging well. The interior though....YIKES. Hard hard hard plastics, lots of rattles, lots of squeaks. While everything appears to be ageing well, it is a far cry from the quality of 90's era that I loved so much. Honda was usually known to have motors that sounded great and made good power. The Fit's motor is a big YUCK, and the Auto trans is gross as well. I think Honda really lost their way with the Fit. Yeah, form and function are really standouts, but Honda used to be soooo good at making a really good quality economy car. This era of fit isn't that imho.

After talking with a long time Honda engineer recently, I've been told depression era Honda's really did suffer from being designed by accountants. But he did say that in 2013 things changed a lot, and I should expect a lot more from their design and quality. But for the time being, the Fit will serve our family well. I have done a lot of work on this thing already, which I will document as time goes on. Wish me luck.

 

So after looking up the service history of the Fit and noting the first owner had taken excellent care of it, the second owner purchased the Fit in 2020 w/ 40k miles, and proceeded to put 50k on it in 2.5 years. Service records were scarce, and my thought is he drove it and dumped it as he did indicate his need to raise funds for the purchase of a hobby farm. Anywho, let the games begin.

1) I found the first 2-3" of brake pedal travel don't provide any braking, so with the help of my 11yo son we did a brake flush and bleed. It needed it. But there was no improvement so I performed the drum brake adjustment procedure of reversing and engaging the e-brake. That helped a little, but I still don't like how much dead travel there is. Not sure if there is air in the ABS system, or wtf. Also lubed caliper pins.
2) New OEM wipers and blades
3) Undercoated with BLASTER surface shield (the new hotness in diy application)
4) Goodyear Winter Command Ultra (buy 3 get 1 free, and a $50 rebate)
5) Found 4 steel wheels from a base and had the tires mounted
6) Polish the very faded headlights. Light output is still TERRIBLE
7) Denso Plugs
8) Valve adjustment
9) Transmission Filter
10) Trans drain and fill
11) Interior detail
12) Paint Correction and wax
13) Swaybar end links (still have nasty clunk at low speeds, and thinking swaybar bushings...but I have to drop the subframe WTF HONDA!!!)
14) Replaced various broken or missing plastic clips
15) Air filter and cabin filter
16) One of the mounted bolts on the driver seat was loose and causing clunking sounds
17) OEM Honda rear cargo liner (cover cargo floor, sides, and seat backs) Perfect for yellow labs and dirty bikes

 

Welcome to the Fit Life!

We recently picked up a 2010 with 100k miles and went through most of the maintenance steps you did as well. I agree about the massive amounts of hard interior plastics, but since ours doubles as a daily for my 16 year old son and weekend rallycross racer, the hard, durable interior works for us.

One thing I was really surprised with is our lack of squeaks and rattles. The only unusual interior noise we get is a buzz from the right side of the dash when over 6k rpms. I think it is coming from where the dash area meets the front/side window and will place some felt there to see. Out last grocery getter was a 2006 Mazda3 that had WAY more squeaks and rattles.

1) Excess brake pedal travel. Yup, I noticed this as well and did the same steps. I even had the dealership adjust the rear brake drums thinking maybe the adjustment mechanism was not working. Turns out one side was off, but the fix did not make a very noticeable change. You get used to it after a while, but we have four cars and swap between them often and it is always a little surprising.
6) Same. Polished the headlights and the light output at night is looooow. I am considering giving up bulb life for brightness and going with a pair of Philips NightGuards. They burn out more often, but more visibility at night would be welcome.
13) Sway bar end links, tie rods, and both front and rear shocks were leaking. The previous owner may have been a little rough on the car, so even more surprised at how well she drives. They also used taller 205/55r16 tires that rubbed on the track so we replaced them with 205/50r16 yesterday. Looking forward to the race this weekend and hope it solves my rubbing issue on hard corners!

 

I'd go one step further and say the same about probably all of the Japanese brands. The 90s (plus or minus a few years maybe) were a high point in quality. Compare, say, a 1998 Camry vs. a 2018 Camry. Interior furnishings, switchgear, etc.... They have gone downhill.

My Fit has just 23,000 miles so I haven't experienced all the rattles and squeaks I keep hearing about. I am sure they will come LOL! I did replace my factory armrest with one of those $49 Amazon armrests, and that thing squeaks all the time. All the time! I should probably try driving around for awhile without and see if there is anything else rattling of if it is just masking them.

On the plus side, my brakes seem just about perfect, and my headlights are still crystal clear. I think the previous owner never parked the car outside of the garage! And like you, I gave the underbody a good coating of surface shield. Unlike the previous owner, I'm going to use this car in the snow and salt.

I also have a 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT and a 2021 Subaru WRX (with just 3000 miles on it) and they don't leave the garage in the winter. The Fit is my official winter driver now.

 

^Interesting to hear that the imports have all suffered from the cheap materials. Think it's the bean counters robbing us for profits? How did they make money before that, less bean counters to pay?

One of the best things I like about the Fit, my XXL fat bike fits inside!

 

I too am back from being out of the Honda scene in a while. When I was younger I was into the Honda scene but as I got older and have kids I moved towards lifted trucks. Still have mines but needed a better commuter since my truck was only getting 12mpg.

 

I never got into lifted trucks, just gas guzzling Lexus SUV's. The GX gets roughly 15mpg average, and the only mods are a custom roof rack and slightly larger BFG K02 tires (not really a mod!) We camp a lot and tow a small travel trailer, so I need to keep that thing running for as long as I can! She has 217k miles on her now, and hoping for 300k but Wisconsin salt may dictate the lifespan.

 

I recall hearing that the profit margins on the Fit were not good. The decline in quality of interior materials may be the result of commitment to quality elsewhere, but you know. I don't know enough to make a solid argument there. I know I've pulled a few gaskets off our L15A7 to replace after services, and after seeing the quality difference between OEM and aftermarket (Fel-Pro, Mahle - who is identical to OEM for our Toyota) I reused the originals. When I pulled the belt tensioner bearing for replacement, it was an NTN. I had to downgrade to a Timken due to price and availability, and it was a downgrade according to spec sheets.
Not a single hose in my engine bay is showing cracks like a Ford would, but that's a low hangin' fruit.

I also love the engine mounts. Mine have aged a bit at 110k miles and are starting to let vibes through, but I really couldn't feel any for.. 80k+? I kept the valves adjusted and people in parking lots asked me if it was a hybrid on two occasions

I do hate the Fit's interior though. Carpet, plastics, SEATS. I think the MPG wars have played a factor (we're all cruising around on unibodys now,) and inflation, geopolitical complications..

For a blast from the past, check out Cadillac's Celestiq. It looks so over-the-top lavish and comfy that I can't even be mad about it.

 

Yeah the interior, slush box shifting, and terrible sounding engine have been major disappointments. Ohh, the windows rattling horribly when they are rolled down is really shocking. Some of these things really have me scratching my head, as I know they know how to do it right...but they choose not to. From what I am told, Honda was run by the bean counters in the 2008 depression era which dictated a lot of their choices. After driving my GX this morning, I was dreaming of a Fit with Lexus quality interior, and a K20 or B18C with a good transmission. It seems like that isn't a winning combo, as no one does it. But I do want to drive the Lexus CT200h, even if the reviews say it's the least Lexus like of all the Lexi.

 

I can believe it. I am sure that in this category, the price point is a big deal.... So they squeeze everything they can to meet the price they've set.

I just hope the rattles and squeaks hold off on mine for awhile. I had a Chevy Cobalt as a daily driver for the last 16 years, so I am used to the plasticy interior. But rattles drive me crazy!

 

I did a full, excessively thorough write-up thread for replacing the window regulator assemblies. Thats where the windows rattle. It's design.. the windows lift on a single central rail rather than a scissor type lift. The guides that stabilize the platform holding the window to the rail are plastic on metal and wear out from rubbing. They aren't hard to replace, nor are they expensive, so I don't really mind that they wear out after a decade.

The Fit would be a riot with a bigger engine. but I mean, look at the price tag on the racey yaris, golf R, racey fiesta. Might as well get a civic R, or a wrx if you're willing to change oil often. Hah, I remember my dad's first time in a wrx. He was a big fan.

You can clear up shifting on the manual by either installing hard mounts on the shifter or doing a short shifter which won't have mushy vibration insulators.
There's an old but excellent write-up on a clutch delay valve delete for those that want better clutch feel. But for automatics, I dunno.

Body/interior rattles are tough. If a car's kept in the sun its whole life, plastic stuff's gonna get brittle faster. Sounds always have sources though, and they can be traced and resolved with relative ease thanks to the service manual. A well placed 1" strip of hockey stick tape can do a lot for rattles It does suck that this car gets 'em though.
I've got window vibes (my choice in regulator assemblies was poor..) and a brake squeak when letting off the pedal. But that's it, and I know how to fix 'em too! just buuusy.

 

I went and found the write up, very well done. But there was no conclusion. Which assembly worked best, or at all? And those cheap bastards at honda can suck an egg.

 

I'll stop playing devil's advocate. You stand by your convictions and I respect that!! Maybe I've been without a comfy car for too long. I hear that Ram 1500s are pretty plush.. Maybe we can ditch our base tacoma and get our hands on one of those. There are so few trucks to choose from. I really can't tell what would be decent and economical for general truck stuff.

As for the window regulator assembly: Not Aisin. The available images for 'em aren't too great, but I think ultrapower or wai global may be better. I may purchase the "various mfr" full regulator and motor assemblies. They're only $25 a piece and I can compare 'em to the passenger side Aisin that I didn't bother to install because of how terrible its design is. Actually worse than my worn out ones.

 

I don't expect those levels of comfort in the Fit, but what I did expect, and what has let me down the most, is better quality from the Fit. Like I said before my 89 civic sedan with 270k on it (owned in 2009) was tighter and was holding up better then this 09 w/ 90k. That is how Honda gained my respect, by making good cheap cars. But lost it in after owning our 2002 CRV and 2006 Pilot. I was hoping for more from this 2009, but understand it is depression era materials and mfg. The body guys got it right (well except for the roof skin, that might be material borrowed from the pepsi canning plant) with body gaps and such, the engine guys must have been mostly def, and the interior guys were the interns.

 

I grew up in the back seat of 80s civics and yotas with the headliners all ripped loose and draping on my head. Every time we got in the car to go to school we'd get a big mouthful of deteriorated foam dust The Fit is the nicest car our family's ever had! Although our old Lumina was definitely the most comfortable. All velour and whatnot. I guess the bar for me has been unblown suspension, less than 200k miles. I'm not even sure what constitutes a quality interior/cabin.
You really think the engine sounds bad? I mean, they didn't sound-deaden for ****, but so long as I keep the valves in spec and the plugs tight I think it sounds pretty alright. Is it just the thunder that's getting yuh?


EDIT: I was being sincere in the previous post, and if you've got a truck recommendation, I'd genuinely appreciate it.

 

My interior has largely held up well after 11 years and 160k miles.

The automatic is bad in these cars. The manual is very good, as Honda has largely been experts in since the 90s.

 

The engine sounds terrible compared to the 90's era stuff imho, but I honestly need to go back and have another listen as sometimes memory fades. Like I said the B18C in my GSR, when VTEC was engaged was one of the best song's I remember.

Well I don't have any direct experience with a truck, but the Taco and Tundra have earned their reputation. Toyota gets ragged on for having outdated tech and drivetrains, which is true when compared to the big three. But you know what you don't get with Toyota, surprises. Their drivetrains have been around so long, most the kinks are worked out, and if not then lots of people know how to fix them.

I own a Lexus GX470, which is the Lexus version of the 4runner. Imho it's the perfect size for a family of four looking for a quality vehicle they will have for a long time. Every Toyota body on frame vehicle is thirsty, there is no denying that. But the quality is really hard to beat.