I was surprised when I found out that the Canadian automatic transmission DX didn't come with a spare tire. They provide an emergency patch/inflation kit instead. I looked at the space beneath the cargo area where they provide it, and I borrowed my father's Toyota Yaris spare tire, and it fits in the space fine, and they provide a simple scissor jack, so I'm assuming that I could just acquire a proper spare. I never needed the spare in my last car in 10 years of driving it, but it was nice to know that it was there. I didn't consider it a showstopper, but I do find it odd that Honda made this choice and I don't really follow why. I'll have to ask them. Has anyone added one? Cheers, Mike

 

I'm surprised, in our 2009 DX M/T there is the spare, but I know that in Europe most car makers tend to replace the spare with the patch kit, to announce a bigger trunk and/or make money by selling the spare as an option (like 70 bucks).

 

In Canada to meet certain fuel mileage markers for every class of cars set out by the federal government, each car must meet certain minimums to qualify for certain federal tax breaks for either the consumer and/or the manufacturer. Being the Fit is in the sub-compact class, the MT Fit meets those requirements based on its' weight. Now the AT Fit, since auto trannys tend to weigh more than manual trannys, therefore pushing the AT Fit's fuel mileage just past the max allowed for it's class. So to get it back down, the AT Fit needs to lose some weight, so out goes the donut spare, which brings the fuel consumption back down to within the feds guidelines.

Now get this! This is all based on the car as it's sold, before options. You could get the donut spare as a paid option on the AT Fit(check the Honda Canada website and go through the build option, you'll see!), where as it's included in the MT as part of the car before options. In the AT, by making a paid option, Honda gets the car within the guidelines.

To me just means have to wheel and deal to get the dealer to "throw in" the donut spare, as would negotiate any other option.

 

The puncture kit is just like having a spare, unless of course you blow your sidewall out. I much prefer the puncture kit as this is how my RS and other Fit's also comes in Japan. A spare is a temporary means, just as the puncture kit is. Unfortunately many people go well past the rated speed limit on spares (something like 75km/h) and also they are normally only good for about 100km and less if exceeding the speed rating. They are complete throw away items.

 

Isn't the spare tire well too shallow for a spare tire on the US spec Fit? I really prefer a real spare, but I carry a pump and patch kit to avoid the speed and distance issues with the donut.
Moon

 

Yes, the well will not fit a full size wheel without raising the false floor up no matter where the Fit is purchased.

 

funny thing is I have a MT sport and they wanted to charge me to get the kit instead of the donut spare the car came with

 

I'll take a donut spare or a kit every time.

 

That's a neat little dealer trick! I was careful to spot things like that too but they were pretty straightforward with me.

 

Just how elaborate is this OEM patch kit? I've kept the donut, but picked up a plug kit and a foor pump at Wally World; can't have $15-$20 in the whole shebang.
I'm mystified at this whole 'no spare' thing; when my bride and I were shopping for the 'big' car (what is now her ladyship's Audi), nothing we looked at had a spare. Three-series Bimmers had runflats, the Audi and the Acuras had donuts...in fact, the Audi shares it's spare tire well with the battery. I guess space and weight are the motivators, even on some fairly expensive machinery.
Moon

 

I have the OEM spare but Moon is right, a patch and pump kit can't be that expensive and it wouldn't hurt to have back there just in case. I'll probably go out and look for a kit just to have that extra insurance.