Hi everyone,

I've been posting here and there on this forum for the past few weeks, but I figured it's time to introduce myself and my new Fit! A couple weeks ago I purchased a new Passion Berry Pearl / Purple EX 6MT.

I've had a Honda Element for quite a while now, and 10 years, 210K miles, and surprisingly few problems later, my family and I have started worrying that it's on its last legs. That car has been so incredibly useful, and I want to keep it running for as long as possible. Unfortunately, I know one day it'll have to go to that parking lot in the sky, and I needed something that can offer the same type of utility. If the Element was still being made and had many of the updated features that the Fit boasts, I honestly don't know if I would have gotten the Fit, even though I'm partial to hatchbacks. Despite that, I'm happy to have bought a Fit because it has its own advantages.

I also have a BMW 135i. It's out of warranty and has mods up the wazoo. It's incredibly fun, but I needed something that actually has some cargo room like the Element, that I can drive every day without letting me down, and that doesn't suck up premium gas. Oh, and not being a cop magnet would be nice, too. It's getting up there in miles, and I get attached to all my cars, so I don't want to drive it (or even the Element honestly) into the ground.

What drew me to the Fit was the clever folding seats like in the Element, and the fact that it's a Honda. I'm hoping to get the same kind of utility and reliability out of this car. After driving pretty much every B and C segment hatchback I could find.. Fiat 500 Abarth, Fiesta, Focus, Versa, Mazda3, Sonic, Yaris, and maybe I forgot one or two.. I finally found that I was happiest with the overall package of the Fit. Perfect combination of price, fun, cargo/passenger room, efficiency, comfort, and more. Plus, everyone else I know who drives a Honda spends very little time with their car in the shop.

Now that I own it, I'm loving every minute! I've racked up almost 700 miles so far, and the car's brought me almost nothing but smiles. It's not fast,but zippy and fun. There are a few minor annoyances I have with it, but I already learned about most of these prior to the purchase thanks to these great forums. In a nutshell:

Pros:

• Passenger and cargo room is ridiculous for this price/size car.
• It's comfortable. Seating position is fine. I'm 6'1" and can sit "behind myself." I don't hit the roof with my driver seat all the way up.
• Fuel economy. Despite the EPA rating, I'm seeing 40ish MPG when I drive a consistent 45-65 mph.
• The car's fun, and not slow for a B-segment hatch.
• It's purple!
• Close gearing is fun and sporty.
• The technology. I'm still amazed how Honda's cheapest car has standard and optional technology (specifically the cameras) that isn't even an option on my BMW (though I guess upmarket models have more options to crazier gadgets like a HUD."
• The community.

Let me just make a quick comment about that last "pro". I was surprised by both how active and how "mature" the fitfreak.net forum is. There are very few other online communities that compare. To me this shows that you guys love your cars, and treat them not just as an appliance, but an interest or hobby as well. That told me more about the car than any brochure or salesman pitch could have.

Cons:

• Touchscreen display is nice and responsive... but still requires me to take my eyes off the road to do almost anything. And though the learning curve is short (my GF memorized the basics of operating the radio quite quickly), I feel like it could have been made more fluid and intuitive. It responds quickly, but not *quite* as quickly as a touchscreen phone.
• Stock tires suck. I'm probably going to get into a winter / summer tire routine.
• I've heard about paint quality issues on the forum, but haven't encountered any personally.
• The center console "armrest" is too low for my arm to rest on.

Finally, a three-part con:

• 5th gear is useless (too close to 6th).
• 6th gear should have been an overdrive gear. I shouldn't be more than halfway to redline just cruising on the highway.
• Engine buzzing at highway speeds, due to the above issue with 6th gear.

Anyway, I hope to learn a lot more about this car from you guys! I have no real experience with previous gen Fits, so I guess I'll be sticking around this 3rd gen subforum, and the other non-specific subforums - modifications, marketplace, maintenance, DIY, etc).


So, here's the Fit!








And for fun here's Frankie (with a cameo from the Element in the first pic):









BTW,
If you noticed, I name my cars. Ex - since there are so many different parts on the 1 series, it's like a Frankenstein. But since all cars are girls by default, it's gotta be "Frankie." Does anyone else name their car(s)? I'm looking for some inspiration for the Fit!

Anyway, thanks for reading! It's great to become part of the community!

 

Regarding the 6th gear, at first I had no idea why it was there, it seemed like a useless gimmick to me, especially since I drive in a mostly flat area. However, reading through these forums, I did see some posts that actually explained why the 6th gear was chosen, several of them from more hilly areas. I now don't think of it as a complete con since there are circumstances where it would actually make sense. Some do still think of it as a con, but some don't, and, to me at least, both make sense in different circumstances. One such explanation is as follows (there are others buried in other threads):

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https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/3rd-...r-way-low.html

As I have said before, the ratio chosen for 6th gear is one low enough to not require a downshift on a mild grade.

The reasoning is that owners and, more importantly, reviewers would perceive a downshift under these conditions as an indication that the car is underpowered. They'd say "The Fit is gutless" and drive buyers away.

This isn't uncommon. A lot of econoboxes have about 20MPH per 1000RPM in top gear. No manufacturer is willing to give their customers a truly functional overdrive for fear of comparison with competitors.
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And regarding the FitFreak community, I am also surprised and glad of how informative and responsive it is. I certainly enjoy it.

 

Yes, I'd probably like 6th gear to be a BIT taller, but not as tall as the automatic top gear, otherwise I'd be climbing most of the hills around here in 4th. Living in the foothills of the Catskills, I drive a lot of hills, so I understand why the gearing is what it is. That said, I agree about 5th and 6th being too close together. I also find low to be REALLY low, almost a reverse. Really, considering how flexible the engine's powerband is, five speeds would have been just fine.

Maybe the answer would be a slightly higher final drive ratio for the manual. That would raise 6th, and spread out the ratios a bit.

 

Congrats on your new car! You guys really drive a lot; 210k miles on your ten year old Element, wow!


I can't believe that the Element has been out for 10 years now, that's scary how quickly time flies!


All of your points were spot-on; especially the gearing for 5th and 6th. They are too close together and the 6th speed just seems like a marketing gimmick so that Honda could claim they had one to compete against the Sonic, Rio and Accent


Love the color of yours and wish you many happy miles with your new purchase!