Hello Fit Freaks.

I am strongly considering getting a fit (Auto Sport 2009-2012).

I've been intrigued by the car for a couple years; since I had a neighbor that had one. I've done some research and have came to the realization that this car has a LOT of value.

I plan on my next car being economical, versatile, and a little fun. I would like a smaller car with as much room inside as possible. The Fit definitely is in that category. I also considered the usual suspects ... Scion Xb, Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, Honda Element, etc...

My Current Cars: 03 Nissan Altima , 02 Chevy Tahoe

My Current Family: Wife and 8 month old son.

My main concerns:
-1. Will I fit okay. I'm 6'0 - 280pounds . (i plan on test driving one soon)
-2. Will my wife buy in to the idea (she hates all hatchbacks) lol.


Let me know what you guys think.

Thank you.

 

It's a great car, little on the outside, huge amount of space on the inside. I know a 6.2" guy sat in the fit with decent amount of headroom in the front and back seats. It's a quick little car that is enjoyable to drive and economical. As for the question about your wife buying it .. bribe her ... haha
Hope you'll be able to purchase it, its a fantastic car!

 

Thanks for the input LeAJazz!

"bribe her" ... I know right. Who can turn down an economical solution like this... especially where these gas prices are going. Lol

Btw, I just realized I love the color of your Fit. That polished metal color is SuperCool!

 

Not many here will say don't buy one- if any. I realize a pep talk is nice, but the only one who can say for sure the Fit is the right fit for you is you and your wife. I talked up the Fit to a friend a few months back and he was all set and reved to get one. He went in for a test drive and thought the pickup was horrid with him and the sales guy in the thing. He bought something else. No one can tell you- it's up to you to test drive the car and see for yourself. So get in there and have a spin. Good luck finding the car that is the perfect 'fit'.

 

I'm 6'2". I found my 2012 to be more comfortable to sit in than the 2012 Focus we test drove. Front to back and side to side. It just felt right sitting in this car.

When I showed a picture of the Fit to my wife, she said: You won't fit in that car! When we started exploring the Fit at the dealership, she was floored. All she could say was, this car has so much room and by looking at it you wouldn't think it did. It sold her and she was the tougher critic. I could also sit in the back seats, with the front's all the way back. I couldn't do this with the Focus we test drove.

As far as hatchback's are concerned, we find them to be convenient for traveling and loading things up. That's something you'll have to sell your wife on. Good luck with your search!

 

Yep, the more economical the better. Thanks! This colour looks really clean and shiny, hehe. Do you know what colour you'd be looking at getting?

 

As I looked around for a city car I spent some time on other car forums and going by owners comments and stories the Fit is the hands down winner!

I reallllly like the Soul, but according to owners, the Fit is a better car, I had to bow to practicality and am glad I did.

Downsides to Fit, a grill needs to be installed to protect the AC condensor. The seats are not Roll's Royce quality, not even BMW. The cloth material is difficult to keep clean. Towing with it can void warrenty.
JIm 0311

 

Be sure all of you fit in the car together. Rear facing seats can make the front seats tight. This is especially important if you plan on going rear facing till 2. If you haven't picked up a convertible car seat yet, be sure to test drive to a babies r us to test them as well.

Of course, this partially a function of what you plan for the car, ie personal commuter vs main car.

Also you can typically rent a mini van for 300 for a week, so it is possible to buy a small car for everything but long trips. That's what we do.

 

You will fit fine! My dad is a little over 6'4" and fits in the car fine, and he is comfortable. Also try to pick up a 2012 since they improved the sound dedening and its alot quieter a ride.

 

I agree with you about the seats. Especially the part of keeping them clean.

Clazzio's will take care of the seats. They have padding that make the seats feel great and give the interior an upgraded look.

They are also super easy to clean. Wipe with damp towel and done.

 

Those look really good. Do they mitigate the static-shock issue of the OE seat covers while getting out of the car? I've taken to wearing a grounding strap.

Do they just slip over the originals? Do they have break away panels for the airbags? (yeah I could read the definitive thread but I'm lazy).

I'll probably continue to ride on the OE fabric, but those pictures are compelling.

 

Thanks Steve!

No static shock issues here with the covers in place.

They slip tightly over the originals and cover everything.

The stitching by the airbags is made to give way. Here's a few videos:

Clazzio Seat Cover Air Bag Testing 1 - YouTube
Clazzio Seat Cover Air Bag Testing 2 - YouTube
Clazzio Seat Cover Air Bag Testing 3 - YouTube

 

Compelling. Clazzios in the near future for me

 

I'm 6'5" and although I don't have a ton of room, I fit just fine.

 

Thanks for the input Jim. From the research i've don, the fit "fits the bill" for me too. But i still need to touch , feel, hear, etc ... the car to complete my research. I look forward to that. maybe tomorrow i can make it down to the dealer. ..... it looks like the head room will be ok, but the seats, as you meantioned, are more of a concern. along with knee room. i have driven cars including the Nissan Rogue, where i felt like me knees have no where to go.



You bring up some great points. I havent got the convertable yet. i have the infant seat in right now. i was thinking of taking that tomorrow to the dealer to see how that fits in , to get an idea. thanks!




Good to hear. ... yeah, i would like to get the 2012 if i can find a good deal. i kind of am hoping for something with 5-20k miles on it, to cut down on some of the depreciation, but still have some warranty left.




Those seats look great. i am going to have to do some research on those. thanks for the tip!



Ok. cool.. thanks for the input.

 

Well said. i guess thats what it really is "a pep talk" lol. if we are being realists. ..... i am hoping to get to the honda dealer tomorrow to try it out. i will let you guys know what i find. ... THank you.

 

Get a 2012 auto sport with navi, new. The sport navi has it all and is STILL under 20k. That's just plain awesome if you ask me- well worth the top model. You can easily spend closer to 30k for what a sport/navi has and still NOT be able to fit an 8' 2x4. Know what I mean? Loaded with all you want, practical as a car can get when you need to haul stuff, and you can get the top model for under 20k. My opinion, no brainer.

There, I gave you the pep talk you're looking for.

Go, drive, buy.

 

LOL Thanks for the Pep Talk.

So I went to the dealer, but the situation wasn't ideal, i was on baby duty while the wife worked today, So i had to take my 8month old son. That made it more of an adventure.

First stop , Honda Dealer. THey didn't have any new ones. (but he said they were on the way) ... but they did have a 09 Auto sport (no nav). So i sat in the front , sat in the back. looked at the hatch space, looked at the engine. And i must say there is MUCH more room that you would think when looking at the outside. ..

I actually fit in it ok. But what didnt fit great was my car seat. and the seller wasnt savvy with fitting car seats in without a base (and i'm not really either to be honest. LOL) ... so i didn't get to drive it. but plan to go back and drive one later. but i was very impressed. ... but when i got back in my Chevy Tahoe, i felt like i was driving in a living room. ha ha. ... so only issue size wise that i need to anticipate and plan for is Car Seat placement, and it does feel like i would be very close to the passenger on the other side.

........ Next i popped in next door at the TOyota dealer. THey had 1 scion Xb. that sales person had a 1 year old and knew how to put the car seat in with the belt. ..... so i test drove that one. It was an automatic. I liked the room, there was a little bit more of it, and the car seat fit better. I thought the drive wasn't too bad. the mpg numbers are surprisingly low though. .............. So i will do some more research, and go back and test drive the fit auto sport when i get a free chance. and hopefully they have some new ones in. ..... this hike in gas prices is pushing the fit and xb out the door it appears.

and as far as the navi, i don't think that is as necessary. I have a galaxy nexus phone and it seems to work great for those types of trips when i need a nav. i also have a nice phone/nav holder for the car.

Thanks again!

 

True Dat. I cannot fit an 8' piece of lumber inside my Escape without a lot, and I mean a LOT of wiggling. And even then, only a few pieces.

I am in the market for a Fit come Spring. There are a few things it can't do that my Escape can, but my Wife's car can handle that. I drove one on the weekend with my wife and 2 kids and there was plenty of room...more than the Focus I *almost* had (long story)

 

Get a base model 2012. It's worth spending maybe $1-2k more for a car that YOU know is well taken care of. The Honda used market is a crazy bubble which doesn't depreciate as quickly as it should.

A reputable Honda dealer should be able to factory order a Fit for you (mine did). Should not cost anything extra, although I had to put a $500 deposit down (refundable) to order mine --- which goes toward to purchase price, which I negotiated up front ($15750 + $199 doc + taxes/title = $17250).

Find a dealer that has a "can do" attitude when you order, sales staff that are NOT paid on commission, and you should do fine. I had to visit five dealers before I found a good one here in SLC. It only took me 2 hours, but it was totally worth it!

Had my 2012 Fit since November. No regrets. I still think it looks a little weird, but once I'm inside I absolutely love it in every way. Averaging 35.5 MPG over 8000 miles (yes I drive a lot).

In your case, I'd say email EVERY dealer in Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange counties (http://www.socalhondadealers.com/ could be a good place to begin). If not, use a phone book or Google Maps and find web sites. They make it easy on their web sites to send an email. Know what you want and ask for a specific quote. If a dealer is honest, they will actually quote you an OUT THE DOOR price by email or in their follow-up phone call.

Sadly, only one dealer in SLC did that --- and when all was said and done, they were the only ones that seemed honest enough to earn my business.