I picked up my 09 Fit in Black with 0 options 5 speed and 7 miles on the ODO on tuesday.

4 days later it has 950 miles on it... it screams to 7k when it needs to... decent car

My 1st japanese car.

Few questions/ comments

1. why does it take on average 1200-1500 rpm to get the damn thing moving from a stop? my BMW M3 needs 700rpm and its good to go up hills with this thing 700rpm sounds like you are chocking someone...

2. 70mph and above cross winds pwn this car... i cant let go of the wheel at those speeds as if i sneeze the damn thing will be 2 lanes over ... at lower speeds it tracks straight

3. after 3 tanks of gas, some hard highway miles, and a lot of traffic this car is definitely through the tougher break in stages... it didnt have an easy life so far ... anyway now i get this weird sound as if the timing is off only if the car is out of gear and the revs are about 1200-2000 rpm its kind of a pinging knocking noise coming from the valvetrain ... I doubt that this thing skipped a tooth on the belt because it only does it at those rpms with no load... sometimes when in gear around those rpms you can hear that noise as well but its much quieter... is this normal? im quite sure it wasnt there 1000 miles ago

4. 1st tank average 29.3 mpg, 2nd tank 32.7mpg, so far 3rd tank was best at 34.25 mpg

FTW

aside from the cross winds owning my ass

 

1. Its a small engine, and only has what, 117hp? And the torque is comparable. I mean honestly, what do you expect going up a steep hill? I have no problem making it up hills in San Francisco, although at times starting can be tough. This isn't an M3 man.

2. The Fit is light, obviously because its small, and less weight is better MPGs. Its also a compact car, I can't think of any small compacts that don't have wind problems at high speeds.

3. I don't hear these sounds. You also shouldn't be near redline during breakin. Treat your cars with some respect.... The Fit doesn't have a timing belt either, nor a timing chain, so that pinging noise isn't that.

4. The nicer you are to the car, the better gas mileage. I average 38/39mpg and thats mixed highway and city driving.

Hopefully that helps

 

Did you really push it that hard during break in?

1. It certainly couldn't be the E36 going up hills at 700 RPM.


How does it keep timing?

 

I'm not sure. I just know it doesn't have a belt or chain..

 

its a belt... AFAIK

no the car sees 7k when it needs to say on ramps to highway or getting on to the parkways with the NYS design of like 3ft long accell. lanes

:shifty...

 

Its not a belt bro. There is no timing belt. It actually may be a chain, but its 100% not a belt.

 

I think it might have a chain:

Blog Archive 2009 Honda Fit

http://clublexus.com/forums/car-chat...fit-sport.html

Both of these sources have it as a chain. Although clublexus did say the Fit was "dull to drive"...

 

Yeah goodguy, I realized that when I looked around.

It must be a chain, but they never get changed for the life of the engine which is total win.

 

....

The thought of an M3 being lugged at 700 rpm under acceleration brings tears of pain to my eyes. Any car with a manual transmission needs to rev at least 1200 - 1500 rpm while slipping the clutch to get going. A high performance M3 engine (I presume you have 6 cylinders) should never be lugged any lower than 1200 rpm when the clutch is fully engaged, and then only with fairly light throttle.

Certainly, the FIT will require a little big of clutch slippage to get going. I wouldn't let you anywhere near my S2000. Even under an ultra-light pull away from a stop, you get to at least 1500 rpm while the clutch is being engaged, and for more normal driving it is more like 2500 rpm. You mistreat the clutch (and the engine) worse by virtually stalling the engine while pulling away. And by the way, a small displacement 4 cylinder engine, as in the FIT, can barely idle at 700 rpm, let alone pull a load.

Sorry to seem a bit critical, but if you talked to fellow M3 owners, they would probably be a thousand times more harsh for cruel and abusive treatment of a thoroughbred.

 

1200-1500 rpm is considered a moderate launch balancing throttle and clutch slippage

flat ground 100 or so rpm above idle is enough to get going
up hill 900-1000 rpm sounds fair

S2k does not need 1500 rpm to get going, either you don't know how to get the car moving gently or are just talking out of your ass. No pun intended.

I worked as a parking lot manager in NYC for nearly 2 years and have never encountered an s2000 that needed 1500 rpm to get moving yet alone any other car. Motorcycle yes but modern car no.

 

100 RPM? Do you manually adjust your idle because it shouldn't even go that low.

S2000s are known for having very little torque at lower RPMs. I have heard that they require a little bit extra to get going.

 

So managing parking lots gives you valid experience in cars and their clutch/transmission systems?

Seems silly.

I simply cannot imagine starting a car at 100 RPM's.

 

Dont you know that Honda's dont have BALLS? hahaha

 

I think he said 100 above idle.

The S2000 needs a good bit above that for a smooth take off. I aim for 1500-2000. It idles at 900-1000 rpm.

 

Timing chain according to Honda's part cataloge (part #5):

Honda Automotive Parts

And to the OP: You have to drive a honda different than a BMW. And keep the revs higher than you think, but not in the way you've been driving so far Unless you're sure you'll be driving a constant speed, a good target RPM is about 3.5K. You're past the breakin period, so my only real advice is to wait till 5K to change the oil.

 

1. compare the torque at 700 to 1200 rpm between an M3 and Fit. M3 has morwe torque per pound of car by wide margin. Torque is what gets vehicles moving.
2. If your fit is equipped with the Dunslop tires there's the reason; try putting a set on M3 if you really want funnies. Get a good set of performance tires to basically cure the condition tho a Fit will always be subject to cross-winds thanks to high sides and short wheelbase.
3. could be valve tappet noise but impossible to diagnose without actually hearing.
4. mpg is typical of the Fits we have access to.
It ain't no M3 but is a great runabout !
cheers and enjoy.

 

yes thats what i meant thank you

 

7K? I take it you don't believe in the traditional sense of a break-in period.

Anyway... congrats on the new car. I used to drive a M3 as well... and I don't know your reasons for moving from a M3 to a Fit... but I was not expecting any similarities in output (333 hp vs 117 hp). The Fit was was designed to be an economical and efficient car.

 

Funny thing is the E36 M3 came with Dunlop 8080E's(a very good tire)--if I remember correctly. It isn't necessarily Dunlop that is the problem; it is that the tires on the Fit are cheap.

 

No I still have the M3 its a 99 Techno Violett which is getting finished up with the Euro 3.2 motor around 315 hp and a few goodies here and there it is set up for track and autox right now full suspensio... lots of oem+ bits very clean

this car is just a decent daily ride as my work consists of a lot of driving its perfect for that