You will probably want to start by reinforcing the trunk compartments floor if you plan on sleeping/camping in the fit. Its pretty flimsy back there so a custom cut sheet of wood or something similar would probably help. let me know if you try it out, i'm interested in sleeping in the back of the fit on weekend camping trips.

 

Adjust the headlights if needed. Many of us had headlights adjusted too low from the factory. I was just noticing again last night how pleased I am with the stock headlights.

Swap out the wimpy horn with one from an Accord.

One of the common dings against the Fit is noise level. The AT has less engine noise on the highway than the MT, but both let in quite a bit of road noise. You definitely have to raise your voice a bit to hold a conversation at 70-75mph, especially if it's with someone in the back seat. Sound deadening like Dynamat on the floor and side of the hatch area (under carpet and behind plastic panels) makes a noticeable difference as will doing the insides of the doors.

I'd highly recommend a hatch cover and replacing the bulb in the hatch light with a decent LED version which will light up the cargo area much better. You can also swap out the hatch light assembly with an Acura part (~$20 as I recall) and have a hatch light that has an on/off switch. This allows you to turn off the hatch light if you have the hatch door open for long periods (like camping or tailgating).

A trailer hitch can be a very useful functional/mod. It provides tie-down points for our canoe when we car-top it. It can accept a bike rack or cargo carrier for a modest amount of weight (large duffel of sleeping bags, pads, pillows, and tents for instance). It would also allow towing a small trailer (caution: US Fit not rated for towing anything although Fit/Jazz in other countries/markets is). A handful of people here have towed with the Fit without issue but most folks will tell you not to.

Many of the "mods" recommendations you'll get will be performance related stuff so I thought I'd provide some comfort/convenience suggestions.

 

Fit sleeps two easy and comfy. I've seen a few fits in camping actions with tents on hatch.

 

Top of my comfort list is tint the windows. I did 35% on the rear 5 and a 40% windshield strip. Then OEM windows visors. Then raise the front of the front seat mounts.

Convenience items include a Strebel Nautilus Compact horn, Gentex 21A rear view mirror, VG Shark Fin antenna, XM Ninno.

Speed mods - JDM red H front rear badges, debadged the rest, black full cover valve stem caps.

Then, most importantly, I spent 8Kmiles figuring out how my FIT like to be driven. Those stock Dunlops turned out to be not so bad tires - and my MPG's are stable at 40.

Before you go for the mechanical mods I would suggest you spend time getting to know your new ride. The Fit has a few quirks that take time to learn about and understand before you jump in and start tweaking things. It really is all it's supposed to be once you figure things out.

Your in-law will most likely become your best friend when you start looking at that JDP front lip. It's in my future...._

K_C_

 

Try looking for the OEM center console. You can also look for the Mugen Door Visors or OEM Door Visors but they are pricey but there are other cheaper options that you can check from Ebay.

 

I agree, getting it dirty is lots of work and never try your car in mud. I did that to my beast and it took me days to clear off the caked mud.

 

First thing I did was window tint.. 15% all around except for the windshield, which will get tinted one of these days... tired of the glare.

Next on my list.. is the NMO mount in the roof for the ham radio. I'll be getting an FTM-350R one of these days to use in the car.

In the spring I plan to replace the springs, struts, and shocks. I will also get Enkei RPF1's and some new tires.

My car is always dirty.. wash it once a week but living down a gravel road sucks

 

For me, tinting the windows was a great practical & comfort mod--saves on using the a/c. Keeps the car cool & looks nice, too. I also added a tint strip at top of the windshield which helps when the sun is lower in the sky than the area the visor covers.

I also added door sill protectors-I like the way they look and they seem to keep some dirt & crud from getting in the car.

You can find the OEM window visors for around $60 or less if you search the internet--search ebay.

Enjoy your Fit!

 

I like driving up and down the gravel road to my house much better than I did driving over no road like I did for the first 18 years I had been paying for this place.... Sand dunes are a bitch in a Fit.

 

my opinion is what I would do first based upon what Ive read are the limitations of the fit and also some of the "annoyances"

Lighter Wheels & better Tires - Better acceleration, braking, handling, economy, WIN WIN WIN!
lighter Battery (maybe relocated) - lighter weight, better weight distribution
Throttle Controller - More responsive throttle
Replace the Clutch Delay Valve (or bypass it) - More responsive clutch.

~SB

 

Do you guys have any recommendations for lighter wheels without having to get new tires? I have a base fit with a 15x5.5 wheel. The only really light ones i know are the Volks and the Enkei RPF1's which come in 15x7 size.

 

Have you, or anyone else, found a suitable replacement master cylinder that doesn't have a clutch delay valve? I've heard that Omni Power makes one, but I'd like to stick with an OEM unit. I found an old civic (or integra) unit that looks like it might fit, but I just looked it over real quick when I found it in the garage.

 

Read somewhere that I thought an RSX dropped in without toooooo much work. Maybe it was from another vehicle.

~SB

 

I don't believe you are going to find anything really that works with the OEM tires. They are odd sized already and a set of decent tires would run you under $300

~SB

 

I guess it's time to search for some used enkei RPF1's

 

If you can find some they might come with fairly decent tires.... They make a huge difference. Good luck!

 

+1..........

 

There are mods for this car?

 

Mmmm....mods sound good.

 

A couple of questions from a new Fit owner.

I can't stand the stock horn and read this: Swap out the wimpy horn with one from an Accord. Is this a bolt in mod? Any part numbers?
And, I read that an element locking gas cap works on a Fit, anyone confirm this?

Answers appreciated.