manual 5spd or Automatic ???
 

I'm contemplating an 2009 Fit Sport both in 5spd and Automatic.

I can drive 5spd very well, heel toe around corners, etc. etc.
I'm a former s2000 owner. This leans me to the side of the 5spd.

But I live in the city where I'm in quite a bit of bumper to bumper traffic. So this leans me to the side of Automatic and the paddle shifters.

What is the throw like on the Fit ?

Is it a fun car that I would be able to "throw around" as I did in my s2000 ? (certain drivers will know what that term means) :-)

thanks for your suggestions..

I opted for the auto...
I too live in the city so stick is not fun for me. Also the wife can't drive stick (and I'm too scared to teach her ;)) so another check for the auto.

As for the stick it def. makes the car feel more sportier (I test drove one).
But this is not a sports car and I wasn't going to be racing so I opted for the auto.

The paddle shifters are a blast. I mostly use the sport mode without the paddle shifters a lot for on ramps and windy roads though. The paddles are hard to keep track of sometimes because they are attached to the steering wheel and is sometimes hard to locate them while turning. Keeping it in sport mode and not engaging the paddles keeps the engine rpms at optimal rpm range and gives you the best thrust/acceleration out of a turn apex.

5 speed or bust! Trust me or live to regret it.

I'm in the same situation with committobefut08. My long time gf doesn't drive stick so I had to get a Fit auto. I also think 5 sp one is so much more fun plus if someone decide to make a high boost turbo kit in the future then 5 sp is way to go :)

I wanted the stick but got the auto so my wife could drive it too.
Happy Wife= Happy Life :o

After living with it a while I have no regrets on the auto sport. The MPG is awesome and the sport mode is pretty cool.

Some volume dealers actually only have auto sports so often you'll actually find better purchase prices on the sport a/t. Also, search "throwout bearing" and you'll find people already having transmission issues with the M/T.

If you buy the M/T, you'll wish you had the A/T when you're in traffic.
If you buy the A/T, you'll wish you had the M/T when driving aggressively.

I bought the automatic last August and still haven't decided if I regret or appreciate my decision. When driving in "shift mode", I still occasionally lift my left leg and reach for the shifter when it's time to shift gears :o

But on the other hand, about 3 months after buying my Fit, I had a wonderful attack of Gout in my left foot and had to get home. I could not walk and much less would I have been able to operate the clutch. So in that respect, I was really glad to have chosen the automatic.

Deep down inside I wish I had the manual transmission but the paddle shifters does add some fun factor. It's a blast zooming down the road and just hitting the paddles without letting off the throttle.

Whichever model you choose you will not be disappointed.

i live in the city and my Fit is MT. This is my first MT car and I will never go back!(unless otheritis rears it ugly head) I drive through Los Angeles and Pasadena area a lot and I can handle the traffic, its not a big deal. And yes the Fit is a car that you can throw around, but just not very fast. Since I bought my car back in 08, I have only had 2 experiences where driving MT was annoying. The first time was driving up hill, and at the top of the hill was a broken blinking red light. So I was on the clutch and gas the whole time, constantly inching forward(got worried about rolling back or burning my clutch). Second time was when I found myself in the situation of shifting gears, talking on the phone, smoking a cigarette, and trying to eat a sandwich(I was just leaving work and was late to class). LOL

With previous cars, I never minded MT in city traffic, and the Fit has a light clutch and short throw. Given your background, I think you will be happier with the MT, with one caveat: the MT is geared shorter than the AT, and turns around 3500 rpm at 70, vs 2500 for the AT, which is quieter at speed. AT gas mileage sucks in heavy traffic (26-27); I have no experience with MT, so I cannot speak to its MPG.

If it's an automatic, the car might as well not exist. :-)

I had the option of either AT or MT when I bought mine and I went with the AT.

At the time, I thought I would not want to bother with the MT at my age and sometimes I look back wishing I would have tried it anyway. That second-guessing of my choice stems from reading too many posts of MT lovers looking out over the top of their glasses at AT owners. I care too much about what other people think about me, even though they are faceless internet posters. Maybe I need to go to a shrink !!!!! The crazy MPG claims of some of them also make me feel like I made the wrong choice !!!!

Still, I'm happy with the AT, although I am missing the whole point of the paddle shifters and hardly use them.

I think the MT is great as it gets the most out of the relatively low torque/HP engine. Plus Honda shifters and clutches are sweet. I drive in Chicago/Milwaukee traffic quite often too, no regrets:D

I too would recommend a MT just don't get an attitude/superiority complex about it like alot of the other MT drivers ;)

I don't have an opinion, but the MT drivers make me LOL! They are a dramatic, all or nothing bunch! I like the strength of those convictions!

However, I drive an AT and love it, especially the paddles when I use them. The Fit is engaging enough even as an AT.

Hmmm, I guess that's an opinion.

Dan

I'll say test drive both and see which one do you like / more suitable for your daily commute. I had a chance to test both before I made my decision. I drive in LA traffic everyday and I got the 5 spd.
The clutch and shifter are light. The shift throw is on the long side but it is light and easy to use.
It doesn't have the tight, mechanical feel but I think that's why they're so easy to use for a daily driver.
Hope this help.

You win! I don't care if you prefer manual but this is the stupidest thing I've *heard* all day.

^lol

i also have an AT. i never regret my choice because the fit will be my daily and will have to serve as alot of other things too. when i chose the AT i had doubts thinking i would want a MT down the road with buyers remorse, i really dont care. my next car which will be my weekender will be a MT so my fit will have to do heavy traffic duty and cargo hauling.

I <3 my fit be it AT or MT.

Being a base contractor living in Japan, I am only able to own 1 car per base licensed driver so with wifey not really wanting to drive in Japan and not getting a base license, I am relegated to 1 vehicle and no matter what I will always want a MT vehicle (especially if I can only have 1). I came from a DC5R Integra to a Snisen(2000) to the Fit and the MT in it is very good for the class of car. Of course, I really haven't driven a Honda that was a MT that wasn't decent as far as feel goes.

The fun factor in the little Fit is quite HIGH even with the minimal output. It is very tossable and from my experiences so far, loves being pushed, though a nice 1.5 diff would make it feel even better. How would the AT version (CVT here) compare in the same circumstances? That I don't know and wouldn't want to find out. I think even if I was able to have a 2nd car here, I would of still chose the MT version. For me it is just more engaging to drive even with the paddle shift option substitute. Unfortunately, I'm afraid that MT vehicles are going to become extinct in the very near future. That will be a sad day really for a number of drivers.

I don't look down on individuals that choose AT over MT, everyone has their reasons for making their choice. For me though, as stated, MT is just so much more fun and makes me feel more at one with the vehicle (paddle shifters do help in that aspect though).

the automatic is fun for like a few days. yay paddle shifters!!! then it gets old. the shifter looks like shit. the paddles feel cheap and youll miss the clutch. i live in the city its a peppy little car you will be able to get a few shifts in or rev it out either way. the hydraulics or whatever on the shifter are fucking amazing. unless your sixty and buying this car because its cute go for the m/t. i have a s2000 as well. they shift fairly differently. and the s2000 sucks in city. the fit is fun.

your best bet is to test drive both and go from there.

I have a MT and i try to avoid rush hour traffic whenever i can. Its not the gear ratios or the throws that get me, its that damn DBW throttle. My last two cars had throttle cables and ive gotten too used to that type of feed back from the pedal.