I love the car, but the new job requires driving through areas that are tough on the car. Ruts, potholes, huge humps between pavement sections, uneven roadways... it's awful. The poor car gets bounced around, and so do I sitting in it, and I'm afraid of the toll it'll take and onset of creaks, rattles, and other deterioration.

My wife's base model is more compliant, with the increased sidewall height and a softer feel overall. She's happy with it.

I don't even know what I'd get to replace it. I'm loving the mileage. I get reimbursed $0.55 per mile, and last month drove 300 for the job. My cost in gas was a fraction of what I got paid, so I guess I'm getting wear and tear payment too. I don't know. I think it's cruel to do this to the car. It's cruel to me because I'm always listening for creaks and rattles.

If you don't know my car, it's the Orange Revolution one with the Webasto Hollandia 524 Panoramic sunroof installed. See my other posts for images and video. Along with that are the Fiamm horns, center armrest, and all season mats. And the mesh behind the front air dam that keeps the rocks from wrecking the AC condenser. I've got a driver side cracked fog lense. :-( But other than that, with 9400 miles on the clock, the car's mint.

Will the Insight handle the city streets better? Element? CRV? I'm a Honda fan. Though the Jetta TDI wagon looks like it's an efficient car. Sitting in the driveway is a 2002 Odyssey with 45K on the clock. I could use that, I guess. But it's huge and it's not great on gas.

I dunno.

 

Choosing any Honda to replace your Fit for a softer ride will be futile. Yes, an Element, CR-V or an Accord will have a softer ride, but not by much. You'll have to consider a bigger car with tall sidewalls and with no pretension of handling, like a Lincoln Town Car.

Maybe consider a beater car so you won't care about the potholes?

BTW, thanks again for the horn help. I am about to try and duplicate the install for my parents' Fit. Wish me luck!

 

from what i remember about the insight... it rides a bit rougher then one would think...

*edit* well apparently looking at an insight is the wrong way to go... it shares the same suspension geometry as the fit so... and it seems to be loud at freeway speeds...

 

The bath you'll take on trading the Fit will more than compensate on the difference in MPG.

The element and CRV are built on the Civic platform aren't they? The Insight is a Fit. The Odyssey is on the Accord platform (I think).

Drive the Odyssey (and pay for "lifetime" alignment at NTB).

Unless you're just itching for a new(er) car. Consider a Toyota Highlander Hybrid. (it gets kinda crappy mileage compared to the non-hybrid). Choose wisely.

 

QUIT YOUR JOB. Just kidding. Instead, resolve to sell your car and buy new every five years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

Even with the rough driving conditions your Fit won't fall apart in that short of a time/ mileage period with proper maintenance. It's a Honda, so it should hold enough of its value that you'd only have to fork over around 6k after the sale to score a new one five years from now.

 

Is this at road construction sites or something?

 

I don't know exactly what I'm after, now that I think about it. I guess I'm just looking for something that's more substantial, a sense of heft, maybe. My wife had a 1986 Civic Si hatch that was lighter than the Fit, but was built tougher.

 

It's almost as though all of NYC is a perpetual construction site.

LOL

 

change the tires to something with a higher profile - go down a size

 

If your wife doesn't have to drive in the same conditions have you considered swapping wheels to see if the higher profile tires help?
Doesn't cost anything to try.

 

Ah so you're driving on regular roads in disrepair. Your Fit won't rattle apart.

 

How about an Audi A3 diesel? Plusher ride, comfy and good on fuel, but it'll cost you at least double the Fit.

 

Why don't you drive your wife's base model, and let her drive the fancy fixed up one?

If you are indeed working in NYC one of the benefits of the fit is the ability to fit into tight parking spaces, etc.

Are all three cars paid off? Or which do you still have payments due on?

 

my wife takes my 09 to areas where pot holes are craters, cracks are trenches and still comes out fine...and she does not baby the car at all.

so i'd just keep it.

just because SUV's are taller doesn't mean they are stronger at all. their alignments
get screwed up just as much as a car (if not worse).

 

What has broken on your Fit besides the foglight to make you think its a weak car? I drive through shitty roads and my suspension is stiffer than stock springs and my Fit is holding up fine. No creaks or rattles.

 

I was informed by my alignment shop that Hondas have strong suspension pieces that hold up well to beat up roads. They told me, by comparison, Audis are very susceptible to alignment changes for some reason. So maybe I'll rescind my Audi A3 recommendation.

 

I agree with whomever said to try different wheels/tires. An increase in sidewall size will definitely help.

And I also agree with whomever said that going with another honda will be futile. one thing about hondas is that they have a more responsive feel/harsher ride. If you want more of a softer feel, pick up a toyota. it'll have way more body roll but will be much softer of a ride. Sticking with honda, I'd say Element with the plastic body panels if you are in NYC but your fuel economy is going to suffer.

~SB

 

exactly the opposite of what i've experienced. not a single alignment issue on either b6 or b7 audi, while my '06 civic has needed 2 over past 18 mos.

 

Thanks all for the input. Given all the factors like what's not paid for, what depreciation's gonna be, and that I'm only at this new job for 3 months, I think I'm going to stop thinking about this and just wait and see.

thanks.

 

3 months? I missed that somewhere... My opinion changes (unless the road conditions worsen with the new position/placement)

I think you've made the best decision based upon everything... especially the timeframe. The fit will no-doubt hold up with only a few minor rattles that can be easily fixed. (possibly under warranty).

Good luck and let us know how the final outcome is after the job changes.

~SB