I have 79k miles on OEM suspension. Suddenly feel handling and body roll getting soft and imprecise. Could I be feeling the struts/shocks in need of replacement?

 

That would make sense.

Especially being in the rust belt.

I'm going to be replacing mine next summer, will be right around 70k on my car.

 

I replaced mine at around 70K too. They were feeling very bouncy. Gotta love our meticulously maintained roads in Ca.

 

I'm at 60k, it feels okay somedays, but I've also driven a lot in the last 4 years.
Approx. 35k in long distance trips ( over 3000 miles a trip).
-bix

 

Thanks all for your responses.

My local Midas shop recommends KYB shocks/struts for my replacement. Is this okay? I want the same ride quality/handling characteristics as OEM.

 

Ask about the OEM pricing. For my wife's car (not a Fit), it was cheaper to use OEM over KYB.

Also, I don't believe I'v had my shocks/ struts replaced and my car has 157K miles. Is that possible? Did I just forget? I do 95% highway (and smooth highways) driving.

 

Blazej maybe cause your highway are smooth and straight. Unlike me here in michigan potholes everywhere, train track that feels like running over a 2x4, and uneven streets.

 

Smooth roads are easier on suspension than rough roads.

My GD's dampers were DEAD when I sold it at 80k.

 

Thanks again both.

6 weeks ago I moved to a new town and my steep street is pretty bumpy rough. My car was fine then. Since then these symptoms manifested. So it wouldn't surprise me that my bumpy street accelerated the shock/strut death.

I will call Honda for pricing.

 

Our Fit has 112,000 miles now and still on original suspension. It has seen mostly highway miles and still handles pretty well, so I imagine highway driving helps a lot.

 

I've run KYB shocks on several cars, IN general I find them superior to the OEM for a small bump in price, their valving is velocity variable so the shocks seem to be nicer on rough roads than most stock units, and still handle well. (Even ran a set on a 911.. )

 

Thanks again.

 

My dealer quoted $1500 to replace the shocks and struts with an alignment.
wow...

 

That's alot. Shock strut and spring should only cost $600 most and it's only 2hour job. Alignment can be done at firestone for $180 lifetime package.

 

Some bouncyness would be nice. Whenever I hit a bump the front is fine but the rear has almost no give. It's the sport model. When I bounce in the rear it feels fine but when I hit a pothole there is no give. Is this normal? Perhaps because of there being little weight in the back. Sometimes it sounds pretty loud and crazy like I ran over a small log. 90k on the rear.

 

That is why it is rough, a tightly valved compression struts/shocks, that is where the orange Koni's come in, they have loser compression damping. But you sacrifice some handling, quick lane changes and tossing into a corner gives you more body roll because the struts/shocks can compress faster then OEM valving. I have to drive mine more since I HAD to give up my 2015 todaybecause my air bag was installed. No choice. They played hardball and I had no cards. They said they will have to start charging me tomorrow @$40 day.

 

OEM struts are made by KYB. That is what I had mine replaced with. It's my DD, so I wanted to keep the oem ride.

 

Are you sure? I'm 99% sure the OEM are Showa.

 

Well, all I can say is that the oem ones replaced on my car were KYB made.

 

I would only consider KYB as an alternative to Bilstein, but the KYB type that is good is there "Gas-A-Just" series, which are those silver colored ones they have, but they don't make them for our cars. For twin tube design, i would choose Koni over KYB just for pricing... for the same thing.. why not get something cheaper?

if your trying to keep it all made in japan.. then you have no choice almost but to get the KYB.